


If You’ve A Lesson To Teach Me

by HeartEyesTurner



Category: Arctic Monkeys
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:53:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 95,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23898568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartEyesTurner/pseuds/HeartEyesTurner
Summary: An AU where Alex is a literature professor in Sheffield and falls in love with an American import named Maura, who teaches history and has an affinity for everything sixties and mini-skirts with tights.
Relationships: Alex Turner (Musician)/Original Female Character(s), Alex Turner/Maura Vaughn
Comments: 14
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alright… I started writing this fic a very long time ago. It means a lot to me for some reason because it’s not about Alex Turner the musician. It’s alternate universe Alex as an english teacher 😳
> 
> I’ve never wanted to share it because I’ve never written about him as anything other than what he is, and I did research for this one which may or may not be accurate, so it’s nerve-racking. When you read it, just pretend the school system makes sense (because it’s a mix of British, American and probably anything I ever learned from Harry Potter attending Hogwarts lol). Also pretend that all my cultural references and stuff make sense and whatever just go with it okay??
> 
> You’re going to meet Maura; my third favorite OFC after Lou and Evangeline. She’s an American import who teaches history and has super-cute style. She also has a thing for Mr. Turner and his reading glasses.
> 
> It’s also maybe the sweetest thing I’ve ever written?? And it’s a little cheesy. Whatever. I don’t know. Let’s just get on with it then.

**Prologue**

“Everyone’s gone ‘ome for the night, love… weh’re all alone,” There was a sparkle in Alex’s eye, that gave Maura an excited chill up her spine.

“How do you know we’re alone?” She asked, peeking out the window in the door of his classroom. He was right, the hallways were deserted and almost all the lights were off.

“They all book it after teacher’s meetings… ‘ead down teh the pub ‘round the corner. It’s tradition.”

She slowly walked back to his desk where he was sat on the edge, hands folded casually in his lap, looking ever-so-much the part of the good-looking young teacher. Every school girl’s fantasy. 

Maura dragged her finger along the edge of his wooden desk, glancing back over her shoulder at him through the fringe of her shoulder-length wavy hair, “Are you looking to get into trouble Mr. Turner?”

Alex groaned softly, then chuckled; he should’ve known she’d be willing to play along, “If trouble means ‘avin’ yeh bent over me desk with yehr skirt hiked up ‘round yehr waist… then… yes.”

Maura stopped dead in her tracks, Alex’s dark brown eyes practically on fire as he looked her up and down; not even bothering to hide the fact that he was checking her out.

“Have I been a bad girl?” She batted her eyelashes at him, “Are you going to teach me a lesson?” 

This was exactly the scenario Alex had imagined the first second he’d met her. It wasn’t their first time fooling around, but it was in a place he’d fantasized about for weeks now. 

Maura rounded the opposite side of his desk, behind his back until he felt her hand on his shoulder, slowly slipping down until her fingertips traced the vein that stuck out so prominently in his forearm. It made her stomach ache, remembering what it felt like when he was on top of her, supporting himself on his arms so as not to crush her completely. That was almost a week ago now, and she longed to have him back inside her.

Alex’s heart was racing as she came to stand in front of him, between his legs, nearly at eye level. Her fingers left his arm, and her hands rested on the tops of his thighs now as she bent forward a bit, arching her back. Alex’s hands were on a mission of their own, and he slipped them around the backs of her bare thighs, coming to rest just below the curve of her ass.

“Yeh’re gunna need teh properly address meh if yeh want meh teh answer yehr questions, love,” Alex gazed up at her, his eyebrow arched as he waited for her response.

Maura licked her lips, her bottom lip caught between her teeth before she whispered, “Are you going to teach me a lesson, _Mr. Turner_?”

//

**AUGUST - SUMMER’S END**

Maura didn’t have a paralyzing fear of the first day of school. No, when lessons began, she’d be ready and she’d feel safe and confident. Teaching was her thing. Socializing with other people her age? Not so much. In fact, she was actually quite allergic to the thought of having to make small talk with the other professors. It wasn’t that she was an unfriendly person by any means, but she didn’t know how to play the social game; at least not at first. It took her a _long_ time to feel comfortable enough to be herself, and that quirky little characteristic sometimes made her seem like she was unapproachable. Shy and unfriendly were two very different traits. 

“Miss Vaughn is joinin’ us from across the pond these next few terms…”

When she heard her name said out loud, she sat up in her seat just a bit, trying to make it seem like she’d been paying attention the whole time. It worked. 

The headmaster was roughly introducing her in so many words, and her heart began to pound so hard she could hear the blood rush in her ears. 

_Please don’t make me stand up and speak._ She crossed her fingers in her lap, hoping he’d continue to gloss over the details of her life for the other teachers without her assistance. 

“Miss Vaughn, would yeh like to introduce yehrself?”

Maura felt the flush on her chest creep up her face to her neck as she nodded her head and slowly stood up. This was far worse than she imagined; a strange American girl introducing herself to a room full of unamused Brits. Why hadn’t she just skipped this silly orientation all together? She could’ve pretended her flight wasn’t until the day before school started and avoided this whole ridiculous scenario. 

She cleared her throat as she addressed the forty or so other teachers, suddenly hyper-aware that she was very far from home, and in a strange foreign country. As she opened her mouth to speak, there was a disturbance at one of the far doors in the library where they were all meeting, and everyone turned their attention to a male figure making his way towards the tables. 

“‘ead master,” The man reached out for the professor’s hand, shaking it firmly, “I apologize for me tardiness, I got ‘ere as soon as I were able.”

The professor didn’t seem the slightest bit upset by the late arrival of one of his employees, he just shook his hand and winked, gesturing to an open seat. “Sorry everyone,” The man held his hands up to the others, “Sorry, love… to interrupt…” 

The other female teachers had begun stirring in their seats, suddenly rapt with attention now that the attractive male had graced them all with his presence. Maura’s eyes widened when the man nodded in her direction before taking a seat to her far left. He was really quite handsome and for a moment, she forgot what she was even doing.

“Miss Vaughn…” The head master repeated her name, and she swallowed hard, trying to gather her wits. 

“Oh… I’m M-Maura,” She stuttered a bit and she heard some sniggers from the back, which she tried not to let unnerve her. “Let’s see… to begin, um… I’m _painfully_ shy in front of new people,” She giggled nervously, “so I apologize if I sound like a complete idiot. I… I’m from New England; Portsmouth, New Hampshire to be exact,” She folded her hands over and over again, her nerves doing a number on her, “I’m an American History teacher back home, and I’ve always wanted to teach overseas, so when this opportunity came up, I um, I jumped at the chance,” She took a deep, shaky breath, “I really love to teach, and I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, so I’m anxious to experience life here in England,” She shrugged, and glanced at the head master, silently pleading with him to rescue her from this torture.

He smiled warmly at her, gesturing that she could sit down now, “Alreyt Miss Vaughn, I’ll let yeh off the hook now. Let’s all give her a warm welcome… I’m sure moving to a new country isn’t exactly easy and Maura might need some assistance, so give her a hand when yeh can.”

Maura tucked her hair behind her ear, doing her best to disappear from sight entirely. She knew she had sounded ridiculous, and she had so badly wanted them all to take her seriously. 

The rest of the meeting was relatively uneventful, yet still informative as Maura had absolutely no clue how the school system worked here, apart from what she read online prior to arriving. She jotted a few little notes in her notebook alongside her mindless doodles, thinking to herself that what she actually needed was a tour of the school. 

There were some snacks and tea and things when the meeting was adjourned, and she lingered behind, nibbling on a cute little biscuit to tide her over until she got back to her tiny flat. She had yet to do any exploring, and she was desperate to find a little market to do her daily shopping.

The other teachers were mingling, chatting amongst themselves, and she stood there alone, wishing desperately that she could just sneak out. She probably could escape fairly easily, since not a single person here was paying attention to her. This was going to be more difficult then she originally thought. Back home she was funny and bubbly, and well-liked at her high school; but now she felt like the tiniest of minnows in a great, big British ocean.

Quietly, she picked up her bag and slipped it over her shoulder, making her way to the door at the far end of the library. No one stopped her or seemed to notice she was leaving, so she snuck through the old wooden door with ease. On the opposite side, just as she thought she’d made it to safety, she ran directly into the headmaster and the handsome man engaged in a private conversation.

“Oh Jesus Christ, I’m sorry,” She mumbled, feeling absolutely mortified.

“Maura, sneaking out so soon?” Headmaster grinned, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling. He was sweet and reminded her of her grandparents; quite a nice, genuine human.

“Um… yes… I… I didn’t really know… who to talk to, and so I thought I would just take off,” Her brow furrowed, “Is that alright? I’m sorry… it’s just…”

He chuckled, “No need to apologize, I understand. It’s a new place, they can be quite the miserable lot,” The handsome man nodded in agreement, “Turner here is the only one good for a laugh,” He clapped the young teacher on the shoulder, the pair of them chuckling. There was something underlying there; they knew each other on a deeper level than merely work acquaintances. 

“It’s true, I am,” The younger man spoke, “I’m Alex by the way, Alex Turner. I teach literature,” He held his hand out to Maura, and she slowly slipped her hand in his. “Don’t mind that lot in there, Maura, honestly, they’re all a bit bitter they’ve got to come back to teach after summer holiday. They’ll probably loosen up again when term begins.”

_Maura._

She liked the way he said her name. His accent was heavy Northern English and it made her heart absolutely melt. She cursed herself for even thinking about how attractive he was and how beautiful his accent sounded; she didn’t come here for this, she came to teach.

To learn.

To get some experience.

To broaden her horizons… get some culture… and all that other nonsense. Maybe Alex could teach her things?

_Stop that._

She reminded herself to cool it. No internal monologues in front of attractive men.

She smiled brightly, actually glad that there was _finally_ a nice person to speak to. “Hopefully they do…” She glanced over her shoulder, “or it’s going to be a long, lonely year.”

All three of them laughed a bit, and she made to excuse herself again, anxious to get back home, even though it was lovely to be in such good company. 

“Are yeh in a hurry? Yeh should take a tour of the school while it’s empty. Turner here could show yeh around,” He smiled expectantly at Alex.

“Oh, you don’t have to! I can just… ya know, figure it out on my first day,” Maura didn’t want any special attention paid to her, and she certainly didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. 

Alex shrugged, “S’alreyt, I’m up for it… if yeh want teh.”

Maura didn’t want to seem ungrateful, so she accepted. It was what she had wanted to begin with, and the opportunity presented itself in such a natural way. The market could wait a little, couldn’t it?

//

“So, ‘ow do yeh like it ‘ere so far?” 

Alex and Maura had been walking around the old school building for nearly a half hour now, peering into classrooms, exploring hallway after hallway. It was a rather large school, easy to lose ones’ way if one wasn’t careful to mind their directions.

“Here as in the school, or here as in England?” Maura asked him with a counter-question, the heels of her shoes clicking alongside the shuffles of his motorcycle boots. She noticed that his walk was more of a saunter, and that he dragged his feet a little, as if it were too much effort to fully lift his foot to take another step. It was more effortlessly cool than it was lazy, and she was starting to piece together the persona of Alex Turner.

“Well, both I suppose…” 

“The school is beautiful so far, and as for England… I haven’t even been here a full twenty-four hours, so I can’t honestly say.”

“So yeh’ve only just arrived then?” 

She nodded, “Yesterday afternoon. I’m still a bit disoriented yet, jet-lag and all… and I haven’t actually had a full meal since I’ve gotten here… just the one biscuit back in the library.”

Alex stopped in his tracks, “My God, love, yeh must beh starved.”

Maura laughed, “I am… kind of. I mean, I’ve only just nibbled on things… I have to explore my borough when I get home, find a market, that sort of thing.”

“Fuck… no wonder yeh were reluctant to come on this tour…” Alex could tell she was fading fast now, not in a sick kind of way, but she looked as if she were losing steam. “Do yeh want to end it ‘ere; call it a day?”

“No, no… I’m fine. Let’s keep going. This is good. I would be completely lost if I attempted to find my way on the first day.”

“Alreyt then, love… if yeh’re sure.”

“I am,” She grinned, smitten with the way he was concerned for her well-being. And with the way he called her ‘love’. Of course it was naturally a very British thing to say, but there was just something about the way _Alex_ said it. 

“Good, because weh’ve just arrived in our wing,” He gestured to the hallway they’d only just stopped at.

“Our?”  
Alex nodded, “Yeah… the history and literature department share the same area. Let’s see if we can’t find yehr room…” 

He took off, moving a bit faster than his usual saunter, pointing out his classroom to her as they walked by. Maura stopped to peer in the window, curious to see what Mr. Turner’s personal space looked like. There were posters on the walls; artsy book covers and blown-up dialogue, perhaps left over from the spring term.

Alex paused when he realized she was no longer beside him. He glanced back to where she stood, peering into his classroom window. She was stood on her tiptoes, the backs of her retro-looking heels slipping off her feet. The meeting today wasn’t formal at all, and she was dressed quite casual, but with a sophistication that suggested she was in tune with an era that wasn’t her own. There was a late-sixties look to the way she was styled, from the slight flare in her ankle-cropped jeans to the square heels of her pastel candy-hued, color-blocked shoes. 

She was certainly unlike the other women here.

“Checkin’ out me room?” He asked, appearing beside her. “Not that excitin’ realeh… I’m goin’ to change a few things before the new year begins.”

“Like what? It looks pretty great right now…” She looked to him, wondering what kind of teacher he was; what his style was like.

“Well… I mean, those are all old. Should probably have summat new to look at. I’ve got a couple of new prints. Wanna ‘ave a look?” He asked her, rummaging in his pocket for his keys before she could even say yes.

“Sure,” She smiled, suddenly picturing a very animated Alex trying to get his students interested in the books he was teaching. He looked like a sit-on-the-desk, relate to you one-on-one kind of guy.

Clicking the lock, he held the door open for her and she slipped inside, Alex reaching around for the light switch. The lights flickered alive, illuminating the dark classroom. Despite it being early afternoon, it looked as if this side of the building didn’t get much sunlight during the day.

Maura wandered down the longest wall, opposite a bay of windows. There were modern depictions of writers like Hemingway, Dickens, Sylvia Plath and Vonnegut. There were book covers from Kerouac, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and even J.K. Rowling. 

She smiled at this, “Harry Potter?”

Alex chuckled as he pulled open desk drawers, searching for his stack of new prints. “Of course. I’m British… ‘aven’t yeh ‘eard we’ve got major hard-ons for the boy wizard?”

Maura giggled, biting her lip, “I may have heard something about that… We Americans feel the same way about Harry. We don’t have this cover back home, though. Is it the British version?”

Alex located the box he was looking for and tossed it onto his desk, “Oh yeah… it’s the original British edition, but it’s actually a painting a friend of mine did. That one’s not comin’ down. I’ve got a soft spot in me ‘eart for that one.”

Maura leaned closer, noticing the many brush strokes and the vibrant colors. It really was beautiful. 

“All the brilliant writers in here, and yeh’ve zoomed reyt in on Jo,” Alex smirked, teasing her a bit. All Americans were obsessed with Harry Potter, this much he knew.

“I know it… but that’s not to say I don’t love the others.”

“Are you a reader Miss Vaughn?” Alex asked her as he studied her across the room from him. Her arms were crossed behind her back, her whole presence was much less guarded now that they were one-on-one. 

_Miss Vaughn_.

Maura swallowed hard when he called her that. It wasn’t condescending or professional in the slightest; it was sugary and teasing and she hoped it stuck. _How does he make everything sound so damn good?_

“You could say I’m a bit of a bookworm,” She smiled warmly at him, crossing the room to join him at this large wooden desk. There was such charm to this old building, and she couldn’t wait to explore more.

“What do yeh like to read?” Alex asked, hands flat on his desktop as he leaned forward on it. Maura caught sight of a pinky ring on his right hand, unable to read it’s inscription due to their distance.

“I’m not quite sure there’s enough time in the day to discuss my book preferences,” She smiled again, flashing him a wide, toothy smile. 

Alex couldn’t help but smile back, “Same. Shall weh save that conversation for another day then?”

She nodded, and he grinned, opening the box of prints to show her what he had in mind for the backdrop of the rapidly approaching fall term.

“I’m not a Kafka fan myself, but I do think that Lewis Carroll print is pretty far out… Nothing says ‘Welcome Back to School’ like a drug-addled poster of Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole,” Maura teased, admiring the _Alice In Wonderland_ book cover that was created entirely with tiny images of pills in various shapes, colors, and sizes. 

“It is pretty trippy, innit?” Alex held it up and they stared at it a few moments before he showed her a few more. There was a _Sherlock Holmes_ one where the smoke swirled across the page from a singular pipe, and _The Jungle Book_ covered in an explosion of palm fronds and vines; even a cover of _1984_ where the eyes of ‘Big Brother’ were depicted as quotation marks. 

“I love all of these. It’s a creative way to bring art into your classroom. When do you put them all up?”

Alex shrugged, shuffling the stack of prints until they were all perfectly aligned and tucking them back into the box. “Soon… maybeh next week when I’ve got a moment to sneak in.”

They ventured further down the hallway to two rooms directly opposite one another. They were the only ones that had the potential to be Maura’s and she scoped out both of them through the darkened windows. She was hoping it was going to be the one on Alex’s side where the daylight wasn’t as strong. It was dreadful trying to teach with the sun beating down on your back.

“I really hope it’s this one,” She mused, admiring the massive dark wooden desk and the row of windows. “So weh’re allowed to decorate them as we please?”

“As far as I know, yes. No one’s ever told me different.”

 _I’m sure there aren’t that many people that say no to you, Alex._ Maura thought to herself as she dreamt up decorating ideas of her own. Alex seemed like he was quite a charmer, and also like he didn’t have to try very hard to get his way in life. She honestly had no idea if this was true at all, but he gave off those kind of vibes.

“Maybe I’ll ask headmaster before I go crazy,” She murmured, suddenly feeling her stomach rumble. Okay, now she was getting hungry. “Do you mind if we continue this another day? I kind of want to get back and get settled.”

Alex nodded, “Definitely. Let’s get out of ‘ere.”

Outside the front of the school they prepared to part ways. 

“‘ow are yeh gettin’ ‘ome, love?” Alex asked her, lingering a little to make sure she was safe. Not that there was much to worry about in such a populated area, but he wanted to make sure she was comfortable getting back on her own.

“The tram,” She replied, trying to sound confident; like it was the easiest thing in the world to navigate back to her little flat via public transportation.

Alex noticed her slight hesitation, “And yeh’re… all set with that?”

She stuck her chin out, determined to make him see that she knew what she was doing, “Yes, I know _exactly_ which way to go.”

“Well,” Alex’s hands were shoved deep in his pockets, “alreyt then love, ‘ave a safe journey home. Good luck with the market. Yeh should stuff yehrself silly and sleep in tomorrow,” He told her with a grin as he backed away.

Maura smiled, appreciating his kindness and good humor once again, “That’s exactly what I had planned, how did you know?”

He shrugged, “That’s what I would do.”

She waved, “See you next week Alex.”

He waved back with a little smile, and sauntered over to a lone motorcycle parked in one of the few parking spots.

 _He_ would _ride a motorcycle._

Maura didn’t want to stare, but she took her time slowly backing away, watching him secure his helmet and swing his leg over the body of the bike. He certainly looked the part with his greased-up hair and his clunky boots. He revved the engine and took off in the opposite direction, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.

It took Maura forty-five minutes to get home that afternoon, thirty minutes longer than it should have. But she figured that’s what happens when you’re distracted by daydreams of riding on the back of Alex Turner’s motorbike; arms wound tight around his waist, hair whipping in the breeze. 

“Stupid,” She grumbled to herself as she struggled with the lock on her door, “stupid American girl already crushing on an adorable British boy. So fucking typical.”

//

By eight that evening, Maura had managed to make it home with her arms loaded down with packages and bags. There was mostly food and some other essentials she needed in order to survive like a normal human being. Even though the flat she was currently renting came fully equipped with kitchen essentials; she still needed things like cleaning supplies, bath products, bed linens and towels; all things she wasn’t able to bring via airplane. 

She was honestly exhausted, and it took all of her energy and willpower not to collapse on the settee before everything was put away. The food was really all she cared about, and so she set to work stocking her cabinets and fridge. She’d known better than to shop on an empty stomach, so she’d grabbed a bite to eat before setting out; and it’d helped curb her tendency to over-buy, particularly all the little things she didn’t need. It _was_ her first time overseas though, and she loved all the strange foreign snacks and packaging. So she loaded up anyways on sweets and crisps. She was a serious junk food addict, usually ending her night with some sort of sugary snack.

When everything was in its happy little home, Maura finally fell across the couch, arms and legs sprawled out like a flattened spider. It was closer to nine than eight now, which meant she’d officially spent one full day in England. Thinking back on the last twenty-four hours; it wasn’t a bad recap. 

She’d called home once when she’d arrived to let her family know she was safe and sound, but she was too exhausted to give them a ring now. Besides, she wasn’t entirely sure her phone was properly set for international calls. No amount of research can prepare you for moving to another country; there were just fundamental things that you had to experience for yourself for it all to make sense.

The tenants who owned her flat were a nice young couple, who were often traveling together for business. They’d moved into a larger home when they married, but decided to keep the woman’s apartment for some extra cash. Maura had paid them for three months in advance, just to stay ahead of the game. They’d walked her through the entire space when she’d arrived and taught her about the water and the electric. 230v vs the 120v back home for electricity, and also two separate faucets at the sink; one for hot and one for cold. The hot tap wasn’t safe to drink from in England. This was something she hadn’t previously known, so she was grateful for the lesson. There were also no plugs in the bathrooms. And it was carpeted. Very bizarre. 

At any rate, they would be leaving in a few weeks, so Maura wanted to make sure she’d figured everything out, and if not, she was planning on drawing up a list of questions for them before they were gone. She supposed that if she had any questions while they were away, she could always ask someone at the school. That was to say if anyone else was planning on talking to her at some point; because other than the headmaster and Alex, her friend options were looking pretty bleak. 

Not that she minded that her only friend right now seemed to be Alex. 

Alex. _Ugh._

Her heart thudded in her chest at the mere thought of his name. She covered the spot where her heart was located underneath, and tried to even out her breathing. In less than twenty-four hours, she’d managed to fall head-over-heels for a fellow teacher, and that seemed like a giant red flag to her. 

_But God damnit it, he was just so nice!_

Maura felt her cheeks burning; she had no idea she was grinning so hard. Alone. In her flat. Like a weirdo. 

_Stop kidding yourself… just nice? He’s hot as fuck and you know it._

Groaning, she covered her face with her arm, attempting to hide from herself. But escaping from her inner monologue was futile; she was her biggest critic and currently her only ally. She couldn’t deny that Alex was the most good looking guy she’d seen in a very long time, considering they were few and far between back home in New England. Attractive men were like Unicorns; mythical creatures that pranced through your life too fast for you to catch them. And usually, when you did get close enough… their wives or girlfriends weren’t too far behind. 

When she’d first found out that she’d been selected to come here to teach; she _was_ excited about the idea of meeting new people, particularly men her age because life in Portsmouth could get a little mundane. Sure there were tourists everywhere, especially in the summer, but sometimes she felt so… claustrophobic, like if she stayed there for one more second, she was going to die of suffocation. The same people, the same parties, the same boring day-to-day life.

Then she attended her school’s orientation on her second day in a new country, and _boom_ ; Alex Turner. He was like a little gift bestowed upon her by the Gods of good karma. 

Ask and you shall receive. 

Power of positivity. 

Laws of attraction. 

_Whatever._ She was into it. 

She had a feeling Alex was into it, too. She couldn’t just brush off the way he looked her over; studying her. Oh yeah, she’d noticed. There was a quiet confidence that shimmered in his dreamy, coffee-colored eyes; like he was hungry for more. And whatever that _more_ was; she was kind of excited to find out.

The first day of school couldn’t possibly come fast enough.

//

**SEPTEMBER - NEW TERM**

Alex was thankful for the good weather on their first day back. He coasted on his bike along the quiet back roads until he reached the more populated area near the school. He only got so many nice days in the fall before the shit weather began and it was too rainy to take out his bike. He often imagined just packing up and leaving to a warmer place; like California. Sure it was a bit drastic and a bit far from home, but there was no doubt that he could ride all day, every day over there if he wanted. 

The school was quiet still, an hour or two left before the term officially started. He liked to get there early and get organized before the chaos began. That… and the fact that he hadn’t stopped thinking about Maura in the seven or eight days since he’d last seen her. It was pathetic really, crushing on the new teacher from across the pond after only one meeting. But Alex was particularly stellar at falling hard and fast. He tried to act tough and cool, but inside he was a huge sap. Someone once told him that he “loved hard, and without abandon” and it had always stuck in his mind. Perhaps he did. Maybe it was the poet in him; all those years of reading and writing and studying literature had turned him into a romantic.

He didn’t know what it was, but he was anxious to see her again. He wanted to talk with her more, ask her how she made out with the market and what her flat was like. Possibly ask her out for a pint. He realized of course, that perhaps he was coming on too strong in his initial approach, but life was fucking _short_ and she was only here for a year. When he thought about the prospect of her leaving in a few months, his heart grew heavy. 

Then he’d get angry with himself because he barely knew the girl. 

He barely even realized he’d stalked into the building, past the front doors, and down the wing to his corridor where his classroom was waiting. He knew the female teachers were whispering about him as he passed by, but he ignored them as he juggled his bag; his helmet dangling from his fingertips. He didn’t much care for the other women he worked with; they were all gossips, and all so _desperate_. He didn’t like their methods of teaching and their lack of passion. Alex didn’t think just _anyone_ could be a teacher; just like not _anyone_ could be a pastry chef or a musician; there had to be some natural passion buried beneath the formal schooling. The difference between a good cake and a bad cake baked by two people with the same training, was that the good cake probably had love in it. It was cheesy but it was true. If you cared; it showed through in your work. 

Alex was scribbling away on his blackboard when he felt a presence at his right. He cast his eyes sideways, spotting Maura in his doorway. 

“Good morning! Happy first day of school!” She grinned widely, holding a stack of notebooks in her arms. 

Alex swallowed hard when he caught that smile; so happy and so genuine. His heart soared.

“Good mornin’, Miss Vaughn,” He smiled, dusting off his hands and stepping closer. He quickly looked her over; a mini-skirt and spotted tights with a blouse tucked in, and one of those black bows tied loosely at her neck. She looked more like a student than a teacher, and he secretly wished he could teach her a thing or two.

“Here, catch,” She lifted her arm and tossed a perfect red apple in his direction. He caught it effortlessly, nodding his head. “It’s for good luck. Or maybe it isn’t really a luck thing, more like, ‘have a wonderful first day’ thing,” She giggled, “Either way, it makes a delicious snack.”

 _You’d make a delicious snack_. 

Alex cleared his throat before he spoke, shoving the dirty thoughts from his mind. Here she was trying to be sweet and polite, and all he could think of was bending her over his desk and hiking up her skirt. Possibly ripping those tights at the back before taking her from behind…

_Nice one, Al._

“Thanks… I like apples…”

Maura’s eyes widened, “Is giving apples to teachers in England not a thing?

Alex chuckled at her bewilderment, it was actually pretty endearing, “I think it’s erm, more of an American tradition, but I’ve honestly never met an apple I didn’t like.”

“Aw man…” Maura looked deflated, “and here I was thinking I was being all cool on the first day of term…”

Alex shook his head, sitting on the edge of his desk as he crossed his arms over his chest, the apple still in hand, “Yeh were still pretty cute despite the cultural gap.”

Maura clutched her books tighter to her chest, definitely not missing the fact that he described her as _cute_ , not _cool_ like she had, “Mr. Turner… did you just call me cute?”

Alex’s cheeks reddened when he realized he’d swapped words. In his mind he was thinking cute, because fuck it all, she was absolutely adorable; and then he’d went and said it aloud.

“Erm… what I meant to say was…” He attempted to backtrack, but there was no way out of it now.

“No way… you can’t take it back now,” She laughed, her eyes sparkling, “you called me cute, and I’m never going to forget that.”

Alex groaned, covering his face with his hand, “C’mon, love…”

“Nope… it’s mine now. I’m cute,” She grinned and stepped back into the hallway, “I’m heading to my room now… good luck today. Enjoy that ‘totally-unrelated-to-anything-in-British-teaching-culture’ apple. See ya.”

Alex waved at her weakly as she disappeared from sight, “Yeh’re such a twat,” He grumbled as he stared after her, that whole exchange going completely and totally not at all like he’d planned. 

_So much for playing it cool._

He got back to preparing his room for the students’ arrival, all the while thinking about what he’d say to Maura the next time he saw her. 

// 

Maura’s first three classes went by in a breeze. 

All of her sixth form students were taking her class because they’d _chosen_ to. They were all there because they _wanted_ to be there, and that made a world of difference in the way the class paid attention to her. They were all fairly mature for seventeen-year-olds, asking important questions and taking notes straight away. At first Maura had thought it was a joke. Education felt like it weighed heavier on the students in this country, unlike the flippant attitudes of the kids back home. It was almost like schooling was no longer a privilege back in the states; everyone wanted to be YouTube famous or get something for nothing. It was actually kind of depressing. Here in England though, the kids were treated like adults, with actual minds and responsibilities. Once you reached seventeen you were able to choose which path of studies you wanted to take; what your main focus would be. It was unlike going to college in the U.S. in every way.

Maura’s class focused on America in the 1960s; including the Presidential election of JFK and his assassination; Lyndon B. Johnson; Nixon and Watergate; The Vietnam War; The Civil Rights Movement, Counterculture and the Social Revolution, The Anti-War Movement, and The Second-Wave feminism that occurred thirty years after women’s suffrage. It was her favorite decade by far, and she considered herself somewhat of an expert in it. She was so heavily influenced by the era, that it trickled into different areas of her life like her manner of speech, her personal style, and social opinions. She loved the Mod Scene and how it merged into the Hippie era; and always tried to incorporate the evolving fashions of the times into her lectures. 

So far, it seemed as though she was becoming well-liked by all her students. They were mostly interested on her reason for coming here, where she was from, what school was like in the U.S…. question after question after question. She knew she might be the subject of interest for the first few days, so she let the students go through a question and answer period before they got started. She was sweet and funny and a tiny bit self-deprecating; which the Brits all seemed to appreciate because they were, too. By the time she had an hour or so free for lunch, she was in seriously high spirits; which was momentarily deterred when she ran into some of the other teachers.

“Maura, is it?” A snooty British woman she recognized from orientation, stopped her in one of the hallways. She had long, bottle-blonde hair, and the kind of figure that bore resemblance to your typical “basic” girl from back home. She probably loved scarves and lattes or something. 

Maura disliked her already.

She came with a gaggle of other young female teachers flanked on either side; and the way they stopped her in her tracks made her feel very much like she was being interrogated by Regina George and The Plastics.

“Yes, I’m Maura,” She smiled as politely as she could; even though she had a feeling this conversation was going to take a turn for the worst. 

“You’re the _new_ girl _…_ from the U.S.”

_Good deduction you idiot. What gave it away? My accent or the fact that I stood up in front of you bitches during orientation and told you so?_

“That’s me,” Maura kept a smile on her face through whatever this conversation was.

“And you’re teaching History in the Literature wing?”

Maura glanced around and nodded, “Well, yeah.”

“I see,” The woman nodded as if she was getting the answers she was looking for, even though she was honestly just stating the obvious.

“Look, is there something you need from me? I’m pretty hungry and I’m on my way to lunch before my next class,” Maura kept her chin up and held her ground.

“Just wanted to know how you were gettin’ on,” She smiled like a cat that ate the canary.

“Why do you care?”

The woman shrugged, “I make it my business to know things.”

Maura rolled her eyes, “And who are _you_ , exactly?”

“Hmm…” She sneered, sensing a feistiness in Maura that suggested she wasn’t one to back down. Her eyes did a once-over, and Maura knew she was judging the way she was dressed. She found this quite laughable considering the girl had _zero_ fashion sense. The woman looked like she was trying too hard everywhere; from her makeup, to her hair, to her clothes. 

She was over this and decided to take control of the situation, “ _Hmm_? Is that your actual name or have you forgotten what it is?” Maura teased cooly, stunning the posse of women, “I can get you a name tag if you’d like. They’re usually pretty customary on the first day in a new school.”

The exchange was about ten feet from Alex’s classroom, and he stood on just the other side of the entryway, eavesdropping. None of this was on purpose of course; he had been about to head to lunch when it occurred. For a moment he thought he might have to rescue Maura from those bitches, but he was pleasantly surprised and kind of proud if he were being honest, that she was quite capable of handling the situation herself. 

The women were too stunned to say anything, so Maura just smiled, “Well, as fun as this was… I’ll be leaving now.”

She walked through them as if they had never existed, grinning to herself as she headed down the corridor.

Alex smiled to himself as he watched her strut by, loving that she didn’t back down under attack. He was tempted to go find her and have that chat he’d been longing for during the past week; but he was anxious to get a cigarette break in before his next class began. He opened his desk drawer to snatch his lighter when he spotted the apple. Grinning, he grabbed that, too and headed outside to his favorite spot behind the school.

//

Maura chomped away happily on her lunch consisting of crackers and cheese and fruit, enjoying the unusually nice weather beneath a shady tree. It was the kind of day that made her want to bottle the moment and never forget it. If every day she spent here for the remainder of the year was like this one; she’d be content. Suddenly thinking of her family back home, she took out her phone and began shooting a little video of the scenery, planning to send it back to them later so they could see where she worked, and how beautiful it could be when it wasn’t shit weather.

As she panned the camera along, a lone figure came into view, leaning against the brick building. It was a tiny space, far from the crowds of students bustling back and forth between classes; secluded and secretive. 

She knew who it was instantly.

Zooming in a little with her video (and making a mental note to cut this part out), Maura studied Alex Turner as he smoked his cigarette, looking ever-so-cool. He was wearing those motorcycle boots again, and the same tight-fitting, worn-in jeans he had on when she’d first met him. They made his thighs look really good, she mused, wondering what it’d be like to have her hands on them. Were they muscular, or long and sinewy? The fact that she was so interested in what his body felt like made her blush.

 _I wouldn’t mind sitting in his lap_. 

She grinned, biting the inside of her cheek as she thought back to earlier this morning when he was leaning on his desk. His forearms had looked so inviting, the rolled-up sleeves from his navy blue, gingham button-down, high-lighting the muscles there. He dressed well; better than most men she knew. It was effortlessly cool, and that turned her on.

Maura admired his face through the graininess of the screen; his sculpted cheekbones and pouty lower-lip were the stuff of dreams. 

And his hair. 

_God damn._

It was longer, chin-length and messy. He was always running his hands through it. He wore some kind of product in it, and Maura couldn’t help but think about what it looked like without it. She wanted to desperately run her hands through it and find out.

And then she saw it; the shiny red apple she’d gifted him this morning. He was holding it in the opposite hand, while the other held his cigarette. She suddenly got very anxious at the prospect of watching his mouth when he bit the apple. The way he’d lick his lips after each bite, the way his Adam’s apple would bob in his throat when he swallowed…

_Mmm, why are you so fucking sexy?_

Maura audibly groaned and then rolled her eyes at herself.

_Get it together and go over there. Quit the mid-day, soft-core fantasies and go talk to him. He likes you. He called you cute. And he got shy about it when you called him out._

She growled at herself but decided to take her own advice. Finishing up her last bit of cheese, she dusted the crumbs off her skirt and checked her teeth in the reflection of her phone screen. 

No debris.

And for good measure, she checked her hair, and her makeup. 

She looked cute today, she knew she did. 

It wasn’t _for_ Alex either. She didn’t dress for anyone but herself, but the fact that she kept catching him checking her out was like a little added bonus.

She headed across the grassy lawn to where Alex was hiding out, contemplating what she’d say to him when she finally got there.

Alex was nearing the end of his cigarette when he saw a familiar figure making their way towards him. He tried to hide the smile that was turning up the corners of his mouth, but he couldn’t suppress it. Maura’s cute little skirt swayed with her hips as she walked, and she tucked her hair behind her ears when she got closer, like a nervous habit. She was even prettier outside in the daylight; the unusual-for-Sheffield sunshine picking up on the lighter bits of her hair. It fell to her shoulders in messy little waves and he wondered if she trained it to do that or if it was just natural.

He took one last drag of his cigarette as she neared him, and put it out on his boot heel before flicking it aside. Every time he smoked he thought to himself, _‘one day maybe I’ll quit_ ’. 

“Are yeh the new girl, ‘ere?” Alex teased when she was close enough to hear him.

Sticking her chin out, she laughed, “Who wants to know?” 

“That was bloody brilliant, yeh know,” He grinned, recalling the way she shut them down.

“You think so?” She smiled, spinning into a step with her arms outstretched before leaning her back against the wall beside him. 

_So he’d heard my little rumble?_

“‘course, love,” he took a small bite of his apple, chewing and swallowing before continuing, “forgive my crassness but, they’re a bunch of fuckin’ slags, they are. ‘causin’ trouble for no reason ‘cause they’ve got nowt to do with their own boring lives.”

Maura’s eyes widened and she hid a smile, “Tell me how you really feel.”

Alex laughed, “Fuck, I’m sorry… they just never leave meh alone, so it’s nice to see yeh didn’t take any of their shit. I respect that.”

“I’m a grown woman, and I don’t have time for that pathetic bullying.”

“Yes, y’are a grown woman,” Alex took another bite of his apple, glancing sideways at her with a devilish smirk.

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?” She raised her eyebrow, pretending to be angry, but in reality, she thought she knew what he was getting at.

“I think yeh know,” He teased back, “there’s no mistakin’ yeh for a silly lil’ school girl.”

“ _Meaning_ …?” 

Alex eyed her up and down with a look that said so much more than he was letting on. If it were any other man, she would’ve punched him square in the jaw. Not Alex though; he could undress her with his eyes any day.

“Yeh’ve got a lil’ strut when yeh walk, did yeh know?” He told her, ignoring her question.

Maura ran her hands through her hair, leaving them on the back of her neck as she pondered what he’d said.

_Do I?_

“What are you talking about?”

Alex shrugged, “Just observations.”

“You’ve taken notice of the way I walk?” She asked softly, staring straight down at her shoes.

“I’ve taken notice of a lot of things about yeh,” Alex replied back, just as quietly. 

They were silent for a few minutes, the breeze whipping around them in their little hideaway. They could feel it; the beginnings of something really good between them. 

“Did y’ave any luck with the market the other day?” 

Maura grinned, “I did! I’ve probably eaten my weight in snacks since I saw you last… but I regret nothing.”

Alex smiled as he chewed on the last bite of his apple before tossing it out into the field, “That’s because weh’ve got the good stuff over ‘ere, crisps and chocolate in the UK are just _better_.”

She wanted to keep talking with him, she liked this awkward conversation and thick tension; but her next class was waiting her.

“I should probably be getting back.”

“Same ‘ere…” Alex agreed and they both pushed off the wall to head back inside. “How’d yeh fair with yehr mornin’ classes?”

“Good… really, really, good I think,” She smiled, happily walking alongside him, her arms swinging, “I like the students here… they’re polite and they’re interested… they ask lots of questions…”

“That’s fantastic,” Alex nodded, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans as they headed back inside the building. 

Students were milling about around them, chatting noisily with friends they hadn’t seen since last term. Their wing was fast filling up with kids waiting to begin their next class.

“What about you? How are your classes coming along?”

“Not bad… they seem pretty eager to get started which I like…” Alex noticed the line forming outside his locked classroom. 

“And what about your prints… on the walls? How’d they come out? I should’ve looked this morning.”

He thought about their first meeting, touring his classroom, being in such close proximity with her without so many people around. He was longing for more private time like that, where they could just talk easily. _Without_ the prying eyes that seemed to be boring holes in his back as they walked along. 

“They look pretteh boss,” He smiled, the corners of his eyes wrinkling up in a real, genuine smile. 

Maura liked his smile when it reached all the way across his face. He looked younger, like an eager little puppy because of those saucer-like eyes, “I’ll stop by when I’m done for the day and check it out.”

Tucking her hair behind her ear again, she left him at his classroom door, waving a little before she turned and kept walking down the hall to her room where there was a line of students as well.

Momentarily forgetting where he was and what he was doing, Alex watched her walk away; his eyes traveling up those perfect legs of hers until they disappeared up underneath her little skirt. 

_Fuck me_. 

“Eyyyy,” A couple of the boys behind him sniggered as they all witnessed the exchange between the two teachers. 

It took Alex a moment to snap out if it, his eyebrow raised as she glanced back at him while she let her students file into the room. 

“Alreyt…” Alex waved his hand, the students behind him chattering like excited monkeys, “Enough of that you lot, inside,” He unlocked the door and the kids ambled along inside, the girls shyly making eye contact with their attractive new teacher.

“Who’s that?” A taller boy who looked much too old to just be seventeen, asked Alex, nodding in Maura’s direction.

“Miss Vaughn; history professor,” Alex said stiffly, as the boy nodded his head in appreciation. 

“Are yeh goin’ for ‘er?” He asked, like it was perfectly common to chat with your professor about who they were making it with.

This riled Alex up a little and he suddenly became a bit defensive, even though it was silly to have that reaction to a sixth year student. 

“I don’t think this is appropriate conversation for the first day of class, or _ever_ ,” Alex said cooly, ushering the boy and his friends inside.

Shutting the door behind him, he headed to his desk, sitting atop it casually. The girls in the class giggled and whispered to one another, and Alex did his best to ignore it. It was customary in every one of his classes for a few of the girls to flirt with him. That was a very tricky area, so he did all he could to not draw attention to it.

“Alreyt… I’m Professor Turner… yeh can call meh Mr. Turner or Professor. Not Alex or Al because weh’re not on that level quite yet,” The class laughed and he smiled at them, doing his best to shake Maura’s image from his thoughts.

//

Maura nodded at a few of the girls she recognized as they slipped out of the classroom, tucking their notes back into their bags. They smiled brightly at her and rushed down the hallway from Alex’s class.

She peered around the corner, spotting Alex rounding his desk, scratching the sides of his hair as his last students left for the day.

He was wearing glasses; thick-framed reading glasses that somehow made his cheekbones sharper and his eyes even clearer.

 _Well, fuck me._ _As if he couldn’t get any hotter._

“I didn’t know you wore glasses,” Maura smiled from the doorway, announcing her presence in the room.

Alex lifted his head at the sound of her voice, forgetting for only a moment that she said she was going to stop by after.

He chuckled, slipping them off, “Yeah… I erm, wear ‘em for readin’ and such.”

“I like them,” She said softly, stepping inside the room and turning to admire his wall of prints like she’d promised. “This is pretty awesome,” She told him, glancing back over her shoulder at him with a grin.

Alex watched her walk along like he had the first time she was in here. The sun was getting lower in the sky, and the room was getting dark, and he decided that she looked lovely in practically every light. She still looked as vibrant and fresh as she had in the morning, and he wondered how she managed.

“I bet your students appreciate getting to look at something different besides boring handouts,” She mused, stopping to admire a few she hadn’t seen before.

Alex realized he felt much the same about her; something different to look at compared to all the regular women he normally saw. He realized it was now or never, that he should just ask her to do something tonight and break the ice.

“Are yeh free tonight, Maura?” He asked her, trying to play it cool, but there was an eager hopefulness in his voice and she noticed, “Maybeh weh could grab a pint ‘round ‘ere before yeh ‘ead ‘ome?”

Maura hadn’t heard him say her name since last week and her heart skipped a little. He was asking her out and she was going to have to turn him down. “Oh…” She began, really wishing she didn’t have to say no, “well, I am… I mean… I have something I have to do tonight…”

“That s’alreyt,” Alex began to wave her off, desperately trying to hide how upset he was. “If yeh’ve got other plans…”

“No, no! It’s not like that… I would love to go with you!” She exclaimed, closing the space between them, “It’s just that the couple who own my flat are leaving in the morning for a few months, and I’m supposed to meet with them tonight to go over some last minute… flat… stuff,” She sighed, realizing that it did sound sort of like an excuse. She might as well have said she needed to wash her hair.

Alex felt mildly relieved though; after all, she just got here, who could she have plans with already?

“Could we maybe try again later this week? I would really love to go with you,” She smiled genuinely at him, hoping he understood.

“I’ve got loads of… shit to do after school this week… professor-type shit, but on Friday I’m supposed to meet up with me mates near me place… would yeh be interested in comin’ along?”

_Pints with Alex and his friends? I could do that._

“That sounds… _yes_. Yes, I would love to,” Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much around him, but she didn’t hate it. “Thank you for inviting me along… you’re still my only friend here, ya know.”

If Alex could keep it that way, he would. He wanted her all to himself. 

“I just wanna see yeh, ya know, outside of ‘ere…” He told her quietly and the air in the room suddenly became very thick, and very hard to breathe.

“Me too, Alex.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, part two already. The rest of the guys show up in this chapter. It kinda makes me sad because they’re not musicians… but they’re still fun and funny!! Also, I don’t know if you’ll catch any of the references I made to AM-related songs and things, but they’re hidden in there like Easter eggs. I didn’t realize I was doing it at first, but then I kept adding them in there. 
> 
> I love this part. I hope you guys do, too. Alex is so sweet and funny. I also hope the text conversation makes sense… 
> 
> Enjoy!! xx

riday came through hard and fast like a freight train. 

The week had been a complete and total blur after the first day of term. After introductions had been made and the course curriculum had been laid out; it was all nose to the grindstone.

Maura didn’t mind. Teaching was her passion, and having the opportunity to teach a subject that she was so enthusiastic about made it that much more exciting. Being a history professor wasn’t at all like being a maths or science teacher; she got to teach the fun stuff, the _real_ stuff, the events that shaped our current, modern world. And she loved it.

The only downside to the whirlwind week was that fact that she saw very little of Alex. Both of them were so busy with the start of term lectures that they only really saw each other in passing. By Thursday, Alex had smartened up and gave her his number so they could text about Friday night.

“‘ey you,” Alex sauntered into Maura’s empty classroom on Thursday morning after her first class.

“Hi!” She smiled brightly, immensely happy to see his face. “What’re you up to?”

He stood in front of her desk, leaning his hands on it. He was back at it with the rolled up shirt-sleeves and it made her knees feel weak at the sight of those forearms. 

You’re weird. Stop staring at the veins in his arms. People don’t do that.

“Just checkin’ in to see if weh’re still on for tomorrow night?”

Maura pretended to not have any idea what he was talking about, “Um… what’s tomorrow? Friday?”

Alex made a face at her and she laughed, unable to keep up the ruse, “Kidding. Of course we’re still on for tomorrow. I’ve been looking forward to meeting your friends all week.”

He raised his eyebrow, “But not to ‘anging out with meh?”

“You too, I guess…” She rolled her eyes playfully.

Who the fuck are you kidding Alex, I’ve been trying to contain my excitement ever since you asked me to go.

“I see ‘ow it tis…” He stood up, pushing up his shirt sleeves that had slipped. “Yeh just betteh ‘ope yeh don’t get completely sozzled tomorrow night, because who’s gonna ‘elp yeh ‘ome if yeh keep burnin’ bridges like this?”

“S O Z Z L E D.” Maura giggled, “Well, I figure… you’ve got to be friends with at least one decent looking guy who’s willing to take me home if need be.”

Alex almost sneered at the idea of anyone else taking a tipsy Maura home. If anyone was going to make sure she got home safe, it was going to be him.

“They’re all married,” Alex lied through his teeth. Of course, a few of them actually were, but she didn’t need to know that.

“Is that a hint of jealousy I detect in your voice Mr. Turner?” She asked him, locking her fingers together and leaning on her elbows. 

Because you know I really only have eyes for you anyways.

“No…” He shook his head, hiding his smile, “I’m being completely honest…”

“Liar,” She murmured, waiting for that beautiful smile to light up his face. 

A moment later, it did.

“Fuck it all… I can’t even pretend to lie to yeh,” He pulled his phone from his front pocket, the spot on his jeans where it always fit, staying perfectly, rectangularly, intact, “I came ‘ere to get yehr number so weh can betteh communicate about tomorrow night…”

“Mmm hmm,” She smiled at him knowingly, “tell me when you’re ready…”

And not a moment after she rattled off her number to him, did he send her a text to confirm it was indeed correct. 

She peeked at her screen seeing the word, ‘boo’. She looked up at him expectantly and he shrugged, “First thing that came to me mind,” He headed for the door of her room, pausing briefly, “think about it though, if it ‘adn’t been yehr number… the person who received that text would’ve been like… what the fuck?” He mouthed the last part silently and she couldn’t restrain the giggles.

That was already yesterday, and now her last class was through and she could pack up her things and escape. Her phone vibrated next to her purse and she saw that it was from Alex, of course. 

**Alex: Hey love, we’re meetin’ at 9.**

It was followed with an address to a pub named The Rutland Arms. Naturally, she had no idea where it was located, so she was going to have to utilize Google Maps, again, for the hundredth time this week. It was alright though, she was still getting acquainted with the area, and Sheffield was much bigger than she’d realized. 

**Alex: Do you think you’ll be able to find it alreyt?**

Of course she would be able to find it alright; she could just Uber it. She grinned at this and quickly texted him back letting him know she’d meet him there at nine, no problem. It was a few minutes later when he sent his last text for awhile.

**Alex: Can’t wait to see you.**

Maura read the message and gushed over it like a silly little school girl; exactly what he said she wasn’t. She couldn’t really help herself though, could she? It’d been about three years since her last boyfriend, and she wasn’t the type to knock about with just anyone. It felt good to have someone be interested in her again; especially in a new city in an entirely different country where there was none of her past looming about. Not that she had anything to hide, but it was really lovely to make a fresh start.

//

She reserved her cute little skirts and dresses for work days, and debuted a pair of jeans that fit her so well Alex nearly swallowed his cigarette when he saw her from across the street. He watched her check both directions before crossing, her wavy locks whipping across her face. She wasn’t wearing a jacket, despite the inevitable drop in temperature that was sure to come around ten or so this evening. No, just a white t-shirt and those jeans with the tight ass and thighs that gave way to a dramatic, wide-leg bell-shape. He could see her lacy bra through her shirt in the glow of the street-lamps, and he wondered if she’d done it on purpose. She must have done; the bra was too pretty to purposefully stay hidden away. There was a single necklace dangling from her neck, and a few rings dotting her fingers. She dressed like the decade she loved so much, but the far the end of the decade, closer to the seventies and Alex didn’t know how he was going to be able to take his eyes off her the rest of the night.

“Hi,” She greeted him breathlessly, after dodging the cars across the street, “I didn’t know what to wear… so…”

Alex sized her up for the hundredth time since he spotted her, having already approved of her outfit, “Yeh look lovely, Maura,” He told her and she beamed up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed from the journey here and from the compliment.

“Thanks,” She murmured, glancing down quickly as if she’d forgotten what she was wearing. How could she have forgotten? She spent ages debating on what was appropriate for a Friday night out in the city at a local pub.

Maura noted that he didn’t look much different from when she saw him at school, clothing-wise, but he _was_ wearing a leather jacket that looked like he’d owned it since he was nineteen; in a good way. He looked tougher, more like the locals in Sheffield, and even though Sheff was one of the least crime-ridden cities in the UK (her mother had done her research), she still felt instantly safe just standing beside him. She had a feeling that he liked to scrap if the moment should arise, and no matter what kind of girl you swear you are, every woman loves a baddy.

“Me mates are all inside, but I wanted to wait for yeh,” He explained, finishing his cigarette. 

Maura felt her heart race, very obviously aware of how much like a movie this moment felt. The guy waits for the girl outside a meeting place at night, the city lights bright and reflective on the recently-wet pavement, the pair of them ignoring the people in the street moving around them, as if it were perfectly respectful to take up sidewalk space to have a conversation. 

“Well, let’s get inside then, I’m thirsty,” She grinned, glancing in the window of the historic little pub at the other patrons happily enjoying their pints of beer.

Alex reached for her wrist to stop her from walking around him, “First love, would yeh mind tellin’ meh what yehr address is… just in case?”

Maura raised her eyebrow at him, “Are you worried that I won’t be able to find my way home after tonight?”

Alex shrugged, “I’m not sayin’ yeh’re gonna get pissed, but in case yeh do… I wanna make sure I’m able to take yeh home.”

Maura swallowed the hard lump in her throat. _When was the last time a guy genuinely cared this much about my personal safety? Never._

She didn’t put up a fight, instead she slipped her phone from her little bag and quickly texted it to him, “There ya go,” She smiled at him, willing herself not to swoon so god damn hard. It was embarrassing.

“I appreciate it,” He told her, heading for the door and holding it open for her.

“Just so you know, where I’m from, we’re big on breweries. There’s not much else to do in Portsmouth other than brew your own beer, so I’ve got experience,” She gloated, traipsing past him with a little more confidence than she usually projected.

Alex smirked as he watched her strut past him, tearing his eyes away from her bum before she saw him. He didn’t want her thinking he was some sort of scummy man, “I’m sure yeh can handle yehr liquor just fine, but yeh’ve never had beer from Sheff. It’s _legendary_.”

Maura heard him, but she was too busy taking in the atmosphere of the pub. It was everything she imagined when she pictured a typical British watering hole; picturesque and full of loud, boisterous locals. The ages of the patrons were varied, but mostly University-aged kids and people in their late-twenties, early-thirties dotted the bar in small groups. 

She loved it.

“Over ‘ere,” Alex said, quite close to her ear as he leaned in, sliding around her to lead her to the table of his friends.

There were four of them, all vastly different looking, yet all handsome in their own respect. They were already at least two pints in, and Maura noted that she probably had some catching up to do. She knew she could never out-drink them, but no one liked to be the only sober one; particularly when she was the only girl in attendance.

“Lads, this is Maura,” Alex announced her arrival, “Maura, this is Nicholas… Miles… Helders and Cookie. Well, Matt and Jameh… but…”

She took a deep breath and waved at them, greeting them with a huge smile. To say she was completely in her comfort zone was a stretch, but she did often feel more at ease with a group of guys than with a gaggle of women. Men tended to be a bit more easy-going.

Matt shook her hand and got up from his seat to offer it to her. She tried to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted so she could be sat between Alex and Jamie. The other guys shook her hand, and she instantly felt welcomed. 

“What can I get yeh, love,” Alex asked her, his hands on her shoulders as he leaned down beside her.

“Oh… I don’t know… I’ll have whatever. Dealer’s choice,” She smiled at him, painfully aware of just how close their faces were right now. 

“Alreyt… be right back,” He squeezed her shoulders and retreated to the bar. 

That was when the interrogation began.

“So… yeh’re from across the pond, eh?” The one called Miles asked knowingly, with the kind of air like he was talking about an inside joke that you weren’t quite keen enough to catch on to.

“Yes,” She confirmed, “Portsmouth, New Hampshire… well, New England.”

Matt took a swig of his beer, “Some would say the _lesser _England, but that’s up for debate…” He winked at her and she knew he was teasing. His type of humor was easier to read than Miles.

“Yeh work with Al, then?” Jamie was next to talk, his voice a bit like the way you’d imagine a caricature of an English person would speak; kind of whiny, heavy on the accent.

“I do… I’m a history professor. My class is on American History in the 1960s,” She did her best to speak to all of them while answering her questions. It was a bit like her first day of classes all over again.

“Like the Civil War and such?” Jamie asked her and Matt and Nick burst out laughing.

“Yeh mean the Civil Rights movement? Yeh knobhead,” Matt chuckled and Maura smiled at him sympathetically.

“Same fuckin’ word… whatever…”

“Except for the fact that they’re about a hundred years apart in history…” Maura couldn’t help but join in on the teasing.

They were all having a laugh around the table when Alex returned, pints in hand. 

“What’s so funny?” He inquired as he took a seat beside Maura, placing a beer in front of her. “That’s a Pride of Sheffield pale ale.”

“Thank you… brewed in Sheffield, I’m guessing…” She grinned, happy to have him back. She mumbled something about money and Alex waved her hand away, same with the other guys.

“No, no, no… yehr money’s no good ‘ere,” He assured her, shaking his head.

Nick nodded in agreement, “He’s reyt; we don’t let ladies pay, ever. Drinks are on us.”

“Oh…” Maura blushed, but she didn’t know why. Maybe it was because she wasn’t used to such chivalry? “Well, thank you… you guys are gonna spoil me.”

“Well, it’s not everyday weh get an American bird at our table like weh ‘ave right now,” Miles explained. 

“Or just, yeh know… birds in general…” Nick murmured.

“Fuck off, mate!” Matt cried, “That’s probably because you lot are off and married and there’s some sort of like, force field around us whenever weh go out! Like the birds can _sense_ it.”

“Exactly,” Alex confirmed with a nod of his head. He took a long gulp of his beer as did Maura and he asked her how she liked it.

“Mmm… tastes like Sheffield,” She quipped teasingly, her golden brown eyes glimmering in the dim lights. He made a face at her and she laughed, “It’s not bad actually… fruity… kinda orangey and bitter. What do you have? Can I try it?”

“Evil Twin Yin imperial stout… do yeh like dark ales?”

“I do…” She took the offered glass and sipped, “Mmm, it’s kinda like a black and tan. Vanilla and coffee… not too bitter at the end… I like it.”

“Want to switch?” He asked, impressed with her knowledge. Although, she could honestly tell him anything and he’d fall even more in love with her.

“Kind of…” She admitted sheepishly, not wanting him to be offended by the kind he had originally chosen for her.

He slid hers over in front of him and let her keep the stout, “There yeh go…”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not a t’all Miss Vaughn…”

Maura bit her lip; he’d called her Miss Vaughn outside of school. And it sounded a bit naughtier now that they were out in public, even though she was positive he hadn’t intended for it to sound that way.

He realized what he’d said and the two of them laughed to themselves, like they were in their own private little bubble, and not out for drinks with mates.

“Oh, I’m sorry, are weh interuptin’ anythin’?” Matt deadpanned and Alex gave him a look. “Yeh’re so cute over there in yehr little like… cocoon of whatever…”

“Fuck off,” Alex snarled jokingly and they rejoined the conversation, trying not to go off on their own as much.

A few pints in, and Maura hadn’t caught up in the slightest, but she was on her way. Alex was keeping a watchful eye on what she was having, not to be a dick, but because he didn’t think she’d be pleased afterwards if she made a fool of herself when it was all said and done.

“Tell me about Sheffield, like… what makes it so amazing?… like give me weird, little-known facts.”

They all pondered her question for a moment before Alex said, “Alreyt… obviously yeh know Robin Hood, yeah? Well, he hails from Sheffield. Technically he’s Yorkshire, even though people debate that.”

“Yeh _would_ know the literary fact…” Jamie rolled his eyes.

“But where does the Loxley come from?” Maura asked him, eyes wide. Who doesn’t love Robin Hood?

“Loxley is actually a small village to the north of Sheffield city centre. And the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, stretches up and past the Yorkshire border. So…” Alex explained and Matt jumped in.

“ _And…_ to add on to that… ‘ave yeh ever seen Game of Thrones?”

“Of course,” She rolled her eyes.

“Whoa,” Matt held his hand up, “tone down the sass a bit.”

He had such a dry, likable humor that he had Maura laughing all evening, they all did.

“ _Anyways_ … the actor Sean Bean who played Ned Stark… he’s from Sheff. Unveiled the Robin Hood statue with Brian Blessed.”

“Who’s he?” Maura knew Sean, not this Brian character.

“Giant-like actor… does mostly voice work. Star Wars, Danger Mouse, Peppa Pig for example. Fantastic work, if I’m being honest.”

The whole table laughed, wondering how exactly Matt knew that he did voice work for all these children’s cartoons. 

“What? You guys ‘ave got kids! How do yeh not know this?” Matt defended himself gesturing towards Nick and Jamie.

“Aw, you have kids?” Maura cooed, and the two of them nodded. 

_Christ, they seem like babies themselves._

“Oh fuck… musicians. Weh’ve got a few of them from ‘ere,” Alex suddenly recalled. “Richard Hawley, Joe and Jarvis Cocker…”

“Def Leppard. The Human League,” Matt added, “Bring Me the Horizon. Pulp.”

They all nodded in agreement.

//

They took turns requesting music from the jukebox, making it a point to make sure they didn’t play any of the songs off the restricted list. All of the guys were extremely nice, well-spoken even though they cursed like sailors (which she didn’t mind at all), and they were all very funny; they must’ve been friends forever.

“You guys all have that ring,” Maura pointed to Alex’s hand where the shield-shaped ring reflected the light from the candles on the table. “Death Ramps. What’s that?”

“Oh yeah,” Alex smiled, bringing his hand up to glance fondly at it. “See… when weh were kids, there used to be these little hills weh’d ride our BMX bikes on, and they just seemed like, monstrous because weh were so little… and we called them the Death Ramps. Always thought it’d make a good band name.”

“I personally always liked the Arctic Monkeys,” Jamie chimed in defensively.

All of them laughed except Maura who didn’t get the joke.

“Mate… that name is fuckin’ awful… I don’t even know where yeh came up with it,” Matt laughed, his eyes all glazed from the alcohol.

Jamie pondered that for a moment, “I don’t either, actually…”

Alex rolled his eyes, “Anyway, a friend of ours knocked up a couple of ‘em, and weh’ve been wearin’ ‘em ever since. Like ten years or so.”

“Al never takes his off. Still think he wishes the band worked out,” Nick mused.

“Band?” Maura was learning_ so_ much about these guys.

Alex chuckled softly, a kind of far away look in his eyes and Maura sensed a bit of regret there, “Weh tried to like, become a band when weh were like, sixteen or seventeen… used the Death Ramps as our name. Performed at this lil’ pub in town called The Grapes. It’s still there. Didn’t quite work out… not really sure why. I dunno, I thought weh were actually pretty good.”

“Maybe weh should’ve gone by Arctic Monkeys,” Jamie muttered again and Maura looked at him sympathetically.

“That’s kind of too bad. What did you all play?”

“Nick was bass, but that was after our old mate Andy got injured… and Cookie was guitar, and Helders was drums. I played guitar and sang.”

“You sing?”

“Apparently not very well,” Matt laughed and then apologized because it really wasn’t true. “He’s also a fantastic writer… wrote all the songs.”

“Oh my God, stop… this is making me so sad.”

Alex shrugged, “It didn’t work out. Maybe it was the wrong place and time.”

“Do you still sing and stuff?” Maura didn’t think he could get any more attractive, but now that she knew he could write and sing and play the guitar… 

_Be still my heart._

He nodded, “Like… not publicly obviously.”

“Will you sing for me some time?” She asked him, and the question seemed much more intimate than she’d intended it to be.

Alex nodded, “Of course.”

When Maura left to use the restroom, the guys gave Alex a good ribbing as they often did. They all liked her of course, and it was painfully obvious that Alex was completely enraptured by her.

“Mate, y’aven’t taken yehr eyes off her for one second,” Nick pointed out and Jamie nodded.

“She’s the one.”

“Shut up, Cookie,” Alex blushed furiously. If he were being honest with himself, he didn’t want anyone to say anything and jinx it. 

Miles agreed though, “She likes yeh, Al… she’s only got eyes for you.” 

“What’s like, the policy on that, like at University?” Nick asked him, “Say if yeh two were to erm, get together.”

“Don’t really know… I s’pose I could talk to Headmaster… but… fuck off, let’s not discuss it reyt now… it’s like our very first time knockin’ about.”

“But I realeh just wanna see yeh settled by now, Alexander,” Matt teased him and they erupted into laughter.

//

The lads could _drink_ , Alex was right. And all Maura drank were very heavy pints of stout, before switching to Guinness. They wanted to make sure she had a proper night out in Sheff, so after the pub got boring, they wandered into two more, and made her try some local street food. She was a bit drunk at this point, so she thought everything was entertaining and everyone was funny, and she honestly no longer had a filter on what she said.

“Chip butty?!” She exclaimed while they waited in line at some vendor that was open to all hours of the night, “That sounds fucking completely weird!”

The guys all laughed, Alex sticking close so she didn’t fall about or lose her balance.

“So, it’s like… this delicious, soft, white roll… and then the bread is slathered with cold butter… and then yeh put chips on it, straight from the fryer. Fuckin’ to die for.” Matt explained, as they got closer.

“I’ll share one with yeh if yeh wanna try it,” Alex offered, hoping she’d say yes because she honestly needed some grease in her to soak up the alcohol.

“Okay!” She smiled brightly, bouncing along beside him. Thank God she wasn’t a sloppy, asshole drunk.

The boys all put in their orders and walked them over to a fountain, sitting on the ledge and chomping happily in their various drunken states. Maura loved it, and nearly ate the entire thing on Alex. He didn’t mind though, he just sat and watched her, grinning like a fool the entire time. 

_I’m in love with this girl._

It was getting quite late someone pointed out, and those of them that had families to get back to needed to be heading home. The boys took turns giving her hugs and telling her that they couldn’t wait to see her again, good luck with school, etcetera. 

“I’m gonna take yeh ‘ome, love,” Alex told her as he sent a request for an Uber. 

“Alex, I’m _fine_ ,” She tried to reason with him, but Alex wasn’t having it.

He nodded, smiling, “I know y’are… but I just think I should make sure yeh get ‘ome safe.”

Maura just gazed at him with a dreamy look in her hazelnut-colored eyes, “Whatever you say, _Mr. Turner_.”

A real, genuine smile graced his lips and he laughed loud, “Are yeh gettin’ cheeky with meh, Miss Vaughn?”

She was shivering as she stood beside him, the temperature dropping like he’d suspected it would; and he took his leather jacket off his arm and draped it over her shoulders. 

“How chivalrous,” She giggled, totally screwing up the words as it tumbled from her lips. They both laughed and she got defensive, “And I’m _not_ being cheeky… I swear! What’s cheeky even mean anyways?”

Their cab pulled up just then and Alex helped her inside before letting the driver know where they were off to. He leaned back into the soft leather seats of the town car, and Maura snuggled up next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, nice and toasty now that she had his jacket on.

Alex wasn’t sure if he should, but he put his arm around her, holding her close, but not too close. 

“Why am I cheeky?” She asked him suddenly and Alex smiled.

“Cheeky means like, sayin’ summat rude or disrespectful, but like, in a teasing sort of way,” He explained as best he could, “And yeh kinda did that when yeh called meh Mr. Turner.”

“But don’t you like it when I call you that?” She might not have known _exactly_ what she was saying, but she also kind of did. 

“I like it,” Alex smiled softly, catching the driver looking back at them. 

_Probably thinking this bird’s me student or summat._

The ride to Maura’s wasn’t that long, and for a second, Alex thought she’d fallen asleep, her breathing had gone so steady.

“You smell really good,” She murmured sleepily, and he could feel her nose pressed against his pale blue t-shirt. “Did you know that?” She asked him lifting her head to look in his eyes. She was very, very close to him now, his eyes widening at her sudden alertness.

“I didn’t know that,” He told her quietly, his own brain a bit foggy from tonight.

“Yeah,” She sighed, her eyes wandering over his face like she was memorizing it. “You’ve got a perfect nose,” She tapped it with an index finger, her dark cherry nail varnish catching in the light. “Your lips are always chapped though,” She mused, a tiny smile creeping up on her lips, her eyelids heavy and drowsy.

Alex felt his cheeks burning, “Yeh’ve taken notice of my lips?” He retorted, using her own line from before against her. 

“I’ve taken notice of loads of things about you,” She used his line right back, seemingly sobering up some. It was the sleepiness that was winning out now.

He licked his lips then, moistening them up, “‘ow’s that, love? Best I can do.”

She licked her lips too, almost on instinct like a mirror because he was doing the same, “That’s better.”

Alex brushed some of the hair back from her face, admiring the way her features lit up, and then hid away in the shadows each time they passed under a street lamp. He’d noticed it before, but she really did look lovely in every light.

She had perfectly full lips; not too big where they looked like they’d swallow you whole, but the nice, pillowy kind… the kind Alex found himself wanting to kiss and kiss and kiss and never stop.

“Yeh’ve got perfect lips,” He told her, desperate to run his thumb over them if he couldn’t kiss them, “never chapped.”

She giggled, smudging her lips together, “Lip balm… you should try it.”

“Maybeh I should try some of yours,” Alex glanced from her eyes to her lips and back again.

Abruptly, the car came to a stop, ruining their awkward little moment. Alex peered out the window realizing they’d made it to her flat already. 

“‘ey mate, could yeh give meh a sec to walk her inside? I’m gonna need a lift back to me place,” Alex asked the driver and he smirked.

“Yeh sure yeh don’t want to stay?”

Alex made a face at him, as if to say ‘what the fuck, it’s none of your business’, “No… I’m goin’ ‘ome, thanks.”

He proceeded to slip from the car, and turned to help Maura out.

“C’mon, love…” He took her hand and she slid out more gracefully than he’d expected. She spun around under his hand at the end and he laughed at that, “Alreyt, which one’s yours?”

“The very top,” She pranced off ahead of him, but he stayed close behind, giving another look at the driver to make sure he was staying. Not that it really fucking mattered, but it was definitely more convenient.

He followed her through the back door of the old brick building, and up the two flights of stairs until they reached her place. 

“Look at that, the penthouse,” He mused when they stopped at the landing. From the looks of it, she’d gotten quite a nice place. He didn’t know how she managed to do so without first coming here to see it in person. 

“This is me…” She slipped his jacket off her shoulders and handed it back to him. “Thank you for that.”

“Yeh can ‘old on to it, if yeh want…” He told her, even though she really had no use for it now that she was inside.

“It’s cold out and you’re only wearing a t-shirt… _you_ need it.”

He nodded and shrugged it back on.

“Well… thanks for inviting me out tonight,” She leaned back against her door, “your friends are really funny, and I had an awesome time. Sorry if I drank too much.”

Alex waved it off, “Yeh’re fine. I had a lovely time, as well. Take some painkillers or summat. Get some sleep.”

Maura noticed that his collar was flipped in on one side and she stepped forward to fix it. He looked down at her with a fondness in his eyes, mentally telling himself not to do anything stupid while they were both intoxicated. If he was going to kiss her, he wanted to do it properly, and he wanted them both to remember it.

“There,” She tugged on both sides of his collar, smiling up at him, “Good night, Alex.”

“Good night, love,” He lingered until he was sure she was safe inside, door locked and everything before he headed back down to the town car.

He glanced up once more at her windows before they took off, catching sight of her as she tied her hair back before shutting her blinds, turning her image into a silhouette. His head fell back against he seat as the driver pulled away from the curb, completely and totally in love with Miss Maura Vaughn.

Alex had some work he needed to get done, but it was Saturday morning, and he didn’t really feel much like being responsible at the moment. There was a fantastic little book on his nightstand that he was mid-way through, practically calling his name; so he put off his professor duties until later. That’s what Sundays were for anyways. 

He’d slept considerably well last night after finally stumbling into his place around four am. His body was a little worse-for-wear; some body aches and a mushy head were just reminders that thirty-two was a long way from twenty-five, and he couldn’t hang as well as he used to. Hangovers aside; he wouldn’t have traded last night for anything, particularly the cab ride home when Maura had nestled herself right up against him. The way it had felt so natural to him was a feeling he couldn’t ignore, and he replayed his favorite bits from last night on an endless highlight reel in his head; from the dash she’d made across the street to him outside the pub, to the hesitation of her hands on his collar before she said good night. 

She was bloody perfect. 

He wondered how she was doing right now; if she’d slept alright and if her head was done in like his own.

He glanced at the clock at his bedside, and deemed nine in the morning too early to send a text. He wasn’t sure what her sleeping habits happened to be like, but he didn’t need much to function; five hours were more than ample. In this instance however, he figured he’d wait around until at _least_ ten thirty before he sent any kind of message after a night at the pub.

Sitting up, he stretched his back, hearing it pop in several places. 

“Fantastic,” He muttered to himself, more signs of his age showing. It wasn’t that he had a problem with getting older, it was just that it seemed to be coming at him so fast. It was like time was a freight-train, swallowing up the years of his life like they were tracks on it’s course. He put the kettle on to heat so he could first have a cup of coffee from the french press, before moving on to tea while he read his book in bed. It was the same routine he did almost every morning since he’d first moved out on his own after University; and it didn’t seem like it was likely to change anytime soon.

_Does Maura like coffee? Or is she more of a tea girl?_

He pondered the thought as he stared out the kitchen window to the street below. He lived in a quiet neighborhood, mostly young families starting out, so there was often the sound of children playing in their yards. They were out in droves this morning, riding bicycles and jumping rope, gardening and taking long walks. This was Alex’s favorite part of his job; the weekends off. It was a nice balance to the seemingly endless week at school with all of his courses and sometimes the after school tutoring and extra curricular clubs. He liked to make himself available to his students if need be, and it took up time on his lonelier nights instead of heading straight home to an empty flat. 

_Ugh. Shut up yeh wanker… yeh sound like a sappy old man who’s life’s about to end. It’s not like y’aven’t got mates and family and hobbies._

Alex’s last girlfriend was over two years ago, at least. It had ended abruptly and unexpectedly one day, when he had been quite sure that she was going to be the one he was with forever. He’d been wrecked over it for ages, and that was when he vowed to avoid women in general for a while. So yeah… sometimes he got lonely. He didn’t find himself particularly cool or smooth, and while he’d attempted a few one night stands, he wasn’t really cut out for it. He didn’t like the awkward conversations and that morning after feeling; when the liquor had worn off and the night’s events came rushing back to his brain reminding him of how terribly impersonal it had all been.

The steam in the kettle began to whistle and he slid it off the burner, shutting it off. He poured a bit in the press and let it sit while he zoned out again. 

His mum was right; he was a romantic and he couldn’t fucking help it. It was probably her fault, well, both his parents fault because they were still very much together and very much in love. They were both teachers like him, intelligent, happy people with a thirst for life and knowledge; teaching him how to be a respectful young man. They made sure he did his studies when he was young, but still let him be a little boy. His father loved music and he gave him daily lessons on what _real_ musicians sounded like. His mum started him reading at a very young age, and so that was where Alex developed his love of literature. Between the musical poets and the literary geniuses, Alex had been raised on a pretty serious foundation of the arts, respecting it and admiring it; hoping to one day be just like them. 

The musical side hadn’t worked out, but that didn’t mean his songs weren’t good. The lyrics were there and the melodies, too… but perhaps it hadn’t been the right course for him. It was then he decided to dive head first into literature; finishing up his studies and procuring a job at Sheffield University where both of his parents had met and fallen in love. If that wasn’t enough romance for you…

_Maura._

If he hadn’t decided to become a teacher, then he never would’ve had the opportunity to meet her. The thought made his heart sink into his stomach, and he thanked his lucky stars that everything happened for a reason.

With his coffee in hand, he headed back to bed, slipped on his reading glasses, and thumbed through his book to the spot he left off at. He tried to ignore the fact that he kept glancing at the clock every few minutes, anxiously waiting until it was finally a minute to half past the hour.

//

**Alex: Good morning, love. How’s your head?**

Maura rubbed the sleep from her eyes, squinting at her phone screen in the tangle of covers on her bed. 

_Alex_.

He’d texted her this morning to see how she was feeling. She sank back into the warmth of the sheets, kicking her feet in excitement. He cared about her; like, he was _actually_ , _genuinely_ , concerned. And he’d had the courtesy to wait until after ten to let her sleep. What a guy! She grinned, typing back a response.

**Maura: Good morning!**

_Oh Jesus, was the exclamation point too much?_

**Alex:** **You’re alive!**

She giggled; no it wasn’t too much.

 **Maura:** **I just woke up. I think I needed the sleep more than anything. How are you?**

He hadn’t had nearly as much as she had, so she knew he was fine, but she honestly wanted to know. Perhaps get a glimpse into his life on the weekends.

**Alex: I’m actually alreyt. Woke up a bit ago… reading in bed because I’m a champion procrastinator.**

Maura groaned thinking about Alex lying in his bed, most likely shirtless with those sexy-as-fuck reading glasses on. Talk about a perfect wake up call.

She composed herself, and sent a response that wasn’t anywhere near as dirty as the one she wanted to send. 

**Maura:** **It’s a perfect day for it. What are you reading?**

It suddenly occurred to her that the image of Alex reading with her in bed was a fantasy she hadn’t known she’d needed until just this very moment. She thought of his place; was it a cozy little flat or a typical bachelor pad with video games and stuff? She decided it was probably the former; with stacks and stacks of books; the shelves bursting at the seams with rare hardcover copies and well-worn paperbacks that he’d read thousands of times. 

That made her smile.

 **Alex:** **It’s this book called _The Kandy-Kolored_**

**_Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby by_ Tom Wolfe. **

**I’ve read it a few times, but I like his use of onomatopoeia**

**and his colloquial turns of phrase.**

Maura knew the book. She’d read it herself. Her father had a copy because he heard it was about stock-car racing, but he hadn’t realized it was more like real literature than a history of facts on Junior Johnson.

 **Maura:** **Ooh baby, talk nerdy to me.**

She commended herself for being a tiny bit flirty. 

**Alex: Hahaha**

**…**

**Anytime.**

Maura nearly died reading his response. He was flirting back!

**Maura: That’s a great book though, custom car culture…**

**Ed Roth, Junior Johnson… all that.**

**It was originally a piece for Esquire in the sixties wasn’t it?**

Alex’s response came faster than she’d expected. 

**Alex:** **Speaking of talking nerdy…**

**I can’t believe you’ve read it!**

**But then again, it was written in the sixties.**

**That’s like, your specialty.**

She smiled, and kind of gloated… she was impressing him! 

**Maura:** **True. It is my specialty.**

**But I also grew up in New Hampshire…**

**like the home of Nascar; the shittier, less-exciting,**

**more-redneck version of the Grand Prix.**

They carried on like this well into the afternoon, and Maura loved it. She felt less lonely, like he was there with her. She had been worried about what the weekends would bring when she first started her life here; afraid she’d get bored and anxious and dwell on shit she didn’t need to dwell on. But Alex was making that better for her.

//

By the time the weekend was over and Monday came around again, Alex was anxious to get back to teaching. He’d been going over his curriculum for the next month and an idea came to him that he couldn’t wait to share with Maura; because it involved her, too. 

Maura was heading into the building when she heard Alex’s bike roaring loudly down the street. She turned and stopped on the steps, watching him park and grab his things.

“‘ey, yeh waitin’ for meh?!” He called to her, his helmet under his arm, the strap of his bag slung over his shoulder.

“Yeah, of course! What was I gonna do? Run inside and pretend I couldn’t hear that thing rumbling up the street?”

“That _thing_?” He scoffed as he trudged up the steps wearing a different pair of boots this day. They were a little fancier, a little more rock n’ roll with a slight heel. He had cigarette trousers on, and a short sleeve, button down shirt; clearly taking advantage of the still-warm September weather. 

“You know what I mean…” Maura made a face as she looked up at him. He took his glasses off and let them hang from the neck of his shirt. He looked so fucking cool. “Your bike. Your motorcycle. I don’t know… do you call it something different here?”

“No, we call them motorcycles here, too,” Alex checked her out like he often did; admiring her little coverall dress and the striped mock-neck she wore underneath. Her legs were bare with little square-heel loafers; like she’d have been right at home on the steps with the other Brady kids. “Have y’ever been on one?”

Maura shook her head, “Never…” Cutting her eyes to where his bike sat parked, gleaming a shiny onyx in the dull sunlight, she grinned, “But I’ve always wanted to.”

“Want meh to take yeh out for a ride some time then, love?”

She bit her lip, eyes wide as she pictured her and Alex bombing down some country road, dirt flying behind them with her arms wound tight around his waist, “Would you really?”

He laughed, “Of course, I’d love to. Whenever yeh want, just say the words.”

They walked inside together, the hallways still deserted before classes began, other teachers milling about with cups of tea and paperwork. 

“Yeh know, the last person I ‘ad on the back of me bike was Miles,” Alex chuckled, thinking fondly on his mate and their relationship.

Maura laughed, “Just you two, dashing around the city?”

“Oh yes,” Alex said with a conspiratorial air, “weh’re _deeply_ in love. Always ‘ave been.”

She bit her lip, hiding her wide smile, “Is that right?”

He nodded solemnly, “Weh like to make the other lads jealous… out to lunch and vacationing together. Weh’re actually quite disgustin’.”

Maura had noticed their closeness the other evening; the effortlessness to the way they joked with one another, and the easy way Alex’s laugh seemed to bubble from his lips when Miles made a face or told a joke. They displayed the kind of friendship that made onlookers want to be in on whatever the private joke was. 

“Well… what do your significant others say about your _special_ friendship?” It was a lame attempt at trying to extract the truth from Alex, as if she didn’t already know he was single as fuck.

“He _is_ my significant other,” Alex deadpanned, and continued trudging through the halls.

“Hmm… I see…” She nodded, following along beside him, their steps in sync. “That’s a shame…”

“Why’s that?” Alex tried to act casual, but they both knew they were setting each other up.

“It’s because… I was kind of hoping you’d have some free time to possibly explore the city with me, on the weekends. But seeing as to how you’re already _involved_ …”

Alex’s ears perked up at the idea of spending more time with Maura, and he backtracked, “Yeh see… weh ‘ave a sort of _open_ relationship… free to knock about with whomever weh choose… so… exploring the city with yeh shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Hmm… I’ll keep that in mind then… should such an occasion arise,” She smiled coquettishly at him, her full lips looking more and more kissable.

One look at her mouth and Alex’s mind went blank. He couldn’t recall what it was that he’d been excited to share with her, he could only think of her, right now, in this moment. 

And when they parted ways at his classroom door, he watched her walk away to hers as he often did, loving when she’d glance back at him over her shoulder once more. He was desperate to take their… _Friendship_? _Crush?_ to the next level, but he also wanted to savor this cat and mouse thing they had going on. It was like he was bizarrely courting her in modern times. He felt a bit like a Jane Austen character, and then he realized that that was a little _too_ romantic, even for him.

//

When Alex had a break in his classes, he went hunting for Maura, _finally_ recalling what it was he wanted to talk to her about. He sauntered a little too excitedly to her classroom, but his shoulders fell when he discovered that she wasn’t there. It must’ve been her lunch time as well, and he thought of every place she might be. It was too windy for her to be enjoying her break outside… and since her classroom was vacant… she must be in the library!

Extremely proud of himself for coming to that conclusion, he headed to the second floor where the sprawling library, and hopefully Maura, were waiting.

Upon entering through the heavy double doors to the ancient tomb chock full of centuries of stories and knowledge, Alex realized that this was where he’d first seen her. He’d interrupted her introduction to the rest of the staff, apologizing for his tardiness to the woman standing slightly mortified before them all. Even then he knew he liked her. He liked that she was a bit shy, a little nervous, and adorable as all hell. He had trouble taking his eyes off her, completely enamored with every word she said. He was a bit ashamed to admit that he thought about her throughout the entirety of the orientation, too.

He couldn’t help it… and he didn’t know why. Why her? Why anyone for that matter? What is that _thing_ that makes one person so attracted to another and vice versa? 

_Whoa, Al… deep thoughts for Monday afternoon lunch._

He slipped quietly through the students deeply submerged in their studies at the tables, turning his head back and forth to check the tables for her wavy brunette head. 

_She’s probably not sitting among the students…_

He almost gave up after he’d checked every table and through the stacks, when he remembered the second floor had massive wood tables for group projects and meetings. He took the stairs two at a time, as casually as he could, but now he was getting anxious. Nearly giving up hope, he caught sight of her loafers, her legs crossed at the ankles as he made it to the last few steps. She was sitting alone, of course, head bowed over a book, her little bag lunch spread out in front of her. 

Alex nearly melted. 

Trying his very best to be quiet, he tip-toed over to her table and slipped into the seat beside her.

Maura gasped and clutched her chest, rolling her eyes and sighing when she saw that it was only Alex. 

“You scared _the shit_ out of me!” She hissed, keeping her voice at the appropriate library level. 

Alex snickered, shaking his head apologetically, “Sorry, sorry… I thought that were gonna be a lot slicker than it actually was…”

“How did you find me here?” She asked, pressing her hand to the center of her book to keep from losing her page.

He shrugged, “Went to check yehr room and yeh weren’t there, and I figured it were too cold for yeh to be outside in that little dress. The wind’s picked up a bit. Probably gon’ to ‘ave a storm later.”

Maura felt her cheeks flush at the mention of her dress, “The fact that you remembered what I’m wearing today hasn’t escaped me…”

Now it was Alex’s turn for his cheeks to go red, “Yeh just… y’always wear skirts… so I figured… _ehhh_ … that’s besides the point… I came to find yeh for a reason.”

“And what’s that Mr. Turner?”

_Oh Christ… don’t call me that now… not here._

He lifted his eyes to meet hers and Maura nearly drowned in the warm espresso color, eyes brimming with sincerity, and wide like the saucer of the cup she would need to contain them.

“I want to join together,” He blurted out, his voice a notch higher than usual in all his excitement. 

“Join together? Like how?” Her eyes matched his now in their saucer-like shape, wondering where he was going with all this.

“Erm…” He shook his head, attempting to start that all over again, “what I mean is… our curriculums are very similar. Yeh’re teaching the Civil Rights movement, and everything that encompasses the sixties… and I’m teaching about the _authors_ from the same time. A lot of our students overlap… maybeh weh can do some sort of project with them. Make it really interesting, tie it all together.”

Maura thought about it for a moment, her mind suddenly overflowing with possibilities. “That could be kind of awesome…” She grinned at him, “maybe we can even do some sort of trip somewhere… take them someplace exciting…”

Alex’s face reflected her grin, her enthusiasm catching. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah!” She cried a little louder than she really should’ve, and they both covered their mouths to hide their laughter. 

When the giggles subsided, he suggested they get together and work on some ideas before presenting it to Headmaster, even though they were both fairly certain he wouldn’t turn them down. It was a brilliant idea after all.

Alex’s stomach growled and Maura’s eyes widened and the giggles erupted again. “Alex, have you eaten anything yet?”

“No… I should’ve grabbed summat, but I was on a mission to find yeh,” He admitted sheepishly, and she pushed some of her food over to him.

“Here… eat what you want… I can’t finish it all. And I hate taking it home with me.”

Alex eyed her cute little sandwich on baguette bread, and her crisps and such, falling more and more in love with her.

“Realeh? Are yeh sure?” He whispered, and she giggled at him, acting like she was offering him gold or something.

“Positive. Help yourself.”

She leaned on her hand as she watched him tuck into the rest of her lunch. He chewed everything so carefully, almost thoughtfully, and extremely polite. 

She adored everything about him; the pair of freckles by his bottom lip, the scar above his eye, the way he quickly licked his lips after each bite. Her heart was pounding and she hoped he couldn’t hear it in their close proximity.

“This is delicious,” He whispered, “Thank you.”

“Anytime…” She murmured, her lips curling up at the edges. Right now in this moment, he looked younger than usual, his boyish features concealing his age.

“What’re yeh readin’?” He nodded towards her open book.

“Oh, um,” She tried to remember to focus, and lifted the edge to show him the cover. “Fashion in the sixties. I’m reading about Mary Quant and her mini-skirt revolution.”

Alex nodded, his eyes sparkling. And she knew he was on the verge of teasing her about something again, “Mini-skirts, eh? ‘ave yeh got a thing for ‘em or what?”

Self-consciously, she smoothed her own rust-colored coveralls out, before tucking her hair behind her ears. “I don’t know… maybe. It’s probably because someone told me once that I had great legs; that they were my best feature, and I guess I ran with it.”

“Yeh do ‘ave great legs,” Alex smiled at her, admiring the way her face turned a thousand shades of red, “but they’re not yehr best feature. Not by a long shot. And I don’t mean that offensively.”

She tucked her hair again out of nervous habit, even though it was already good and tucked, “Is that so?” 

He shook his head, “Whoever it was was lyin’ to yeh… or themselves… because yeh’ve got a smile that could break a thousand hearts, and yehr eyes? Forget it. They kill meh.”

Maura swallowed the lump in her throat; what was _happening_ right now?

“Sorry,” He apologized again, noting her bewilderment, “too truthful for midday in the library?”

“I…” She began, but she didn’t know quite where she was going the minute she opened her mouth.

“It’s just that…” Alex leaned a little closer to her, “I’ve been thinkin’ about yeh all weekend. And whenever I close my eyes at night… it’s yehr face I see. Not yehr legs… ‘owever much I love them, too.”

Maura’s throat felt tight, almost like she couldn’t catch her next breath. Here she was, two weeks into teaching school in a new country, and the most intriguingly gorgeous and beguiling man was coming on to her. 

There wasn’t a single thing she disliked about it. 

“Alex,” She whispered, leaning in towards him now, completely forgetting they were in a public place in front of a number of students and some faculty. 

The backs of his fingertips brushed her knee, and she glanced down briefly before casting her eyes up and meeting the intensity of his own. They pierced her heart; the sincere honesty that was not-so-cleverly concealed by his warm doe-eyes. 

They flickered down to her mouth for a moment and she licked her bottom lip self-consciously. 

Alex groaned softly, “Don’t do that,” He advised her, his fingers now squeezing her knee cap. Startled by this, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and he gripped her knee tighter, “Oh God… don’t do that either.”

Maura murmured an apology, confused as to what she did wrong, and he chuckled. 

His thumb stroked her knee, and she tried not to focus too much on how close they were; that they were even touching like this at all. “It’s my fault…” He explained, his whisper unable to hide the deep cadence of his voice. “I just… erm…”

The approach of someone on the steps disturbed whatever moment they were caught up in, and Alex cleared his throat and sat up, forcing himself as far away from Maura as he possibly could in the old wooden chair.

It was a group of students looking for a quiet place to study. 

Maura tucked her hair again under the inquisitive stares of the new arrivals, and Alex picked at the bit of sandwich left. When they were sure they were alone again, Maura let out a deep breath.

“Why can’t I help but feel like _I’m_ in school again, sneaking around behind teachers’ backs?”

Alex turned his head, smirking, “Did yeh do that often when yeh were younger?”

_Absolutely not. I didn’t go to school with anyone as good-looking and charming as you._

Her cheeks felt hot, and she wondered if it showed in her face, “No… I guess I _imagine_ it would feel sort of like this, though…”

“I never did either,” He admitted, “but I always sort of wanted to, tha knows?”

She grinned, “Same.”

The whole ride home, Maura couldn’t get the thought of Alex touching her knee out of her head. It felt like it burned where his fingers once were, and she covered her knee with her hand as if to protect it from anyone else knowing their secret.

For an English teacher and a writer, he was oddly a terrible conversationalist… but maybe that was the wrong word. He wasn’t particularly _articulate_ when it came to conveying his thoughts. 

Maura found that endearing.

And maddening.

And frustrating.

All at the same time.

Her overactive imagination had her dreaming up all the reasons why he’d stopped her from licking or biting her lip. And all the theories ended in exactly the same scenario: sex. She groaned, slumping down into the plastic seat of the tram.

A few people glanced her way, and she avoided eye contact at all costs. 

She wanted to get to know Alex… _without_ thinking about him _that_ way… but it was virtually _impossible_. She was attracted to him on so many different levels that her brain felt scrambled whenever she tried to decode the connections. 

She hurried home when she reached her stop, thankful to be out of the public until the morning. She needed time to think, and reflect… 

_And masturbate._

She rolled her eyes at her own stupid mind, and headed straight for the ice cream and bottle of wine in her freezer, skipping a proper dinner entirely. There was a gorgeous old claw-footed bathtub that she’d yet to try just calling her name. She stripped out of her work clothes, nearly tumbling over as she tried to devour a massive spoonful of black raspberry ice cream at the same time. Standing in the bathroom naked as she watched the tub fill up; she suddenly came to the horrifying realization that she was a living, breathing, _cliche_. 

Wine. Ice cream. Bath tub. 

Check. Check. Check.

The fucking starter kit to the single-girl, rom-com stereotype. 

“This is pathetic.” She murmured to her reflection in the mirror with a mouthful of black razz.

_But is it really all that pathetic if you’re planning on spending your night solving the riddle that is Alex Turner?_

_Yes, yes it is._

Sighing, she poured what was probably too many bath bubbles into the water, and lined up her arsenal of single-girl essentials; including her phone… just in case she decided she needed to call someone to talk her off the ledge.

//

On the other side of town, Alex was drowning his thoughts in a bottle of beer. Several bottles now to be exact.

“Yeh’re so fuckin’ lame, mate,” He muttered to himself, replaying the events of this afternoon over and over again in his head.

He didn’t like that he struggled with finding the perfect words to say, that he stuttered and stammered when he tripped up on his own thoughts. What he’d _wanted_ to say was that he was falling for her, and that he liked her, and that he wanted to spend all the time in the world with her. But instead, he’d chosen to tease her about her skirts, and tell her _not_ to do one of the most endearing things she did. He loved when she licked her lips or bit that bottom one… it was a weakness for him. And if he was being completely honest with himself, that was why he’d stopped her; because he couldn’t trust himself to behave.

“Fuck it all! Yeh sound like a god damn twat!” 

He rolled his eyes and finished his fourth beer. 

Normally, he wouldn’t be too pissed just yet, but here he was, not even eight o’clock at night, and he was already feeling the effects of the alcohol. Of course, the last thing he’d eaten today had been the other half of Maura’s sandwich. His stomach rumbled and he smiled, thinking about the adorable way she pushed her food across the table to him that afternoon.

That thought merged with the thought of his hand on her knee, and the way her legs looked under the table… and the way she tucked her hair behind her ears out of nervous habit… and one thing led to another, and he was thinking dirty thoughts about her again.

He never actually _meant_ to let his thoughts go there, but they always managed to somehow, and he imagined what it’d be like to have her here right now.

She’d sit on his lap, giggling at something clever he’d said, and she’d brush her fingers through his hair, kissing behind his ear, and down his neck, and…

 _Alex_. 

He opened his eyes and sighed, realizing that his hand had already begun to make it’s way into his trousers. 

//

Maura had begun to drift off into a particularly good day dream of Alex, when she heard her phone buzz.

**Alex: Are you still awake?**

Her stomach fluttered as she read the text from Alex.

**Maura: Of course.**

**Alex: …**

**What’re you up to?**

_Well, I can’t just tell him that a only a few moments ago I’d been touching myself and thinking of him, can I?_ She giggled to herself, and sipped another mouthful of wine; which was coming to the bottom third of the bottle. 

**Maura: Bathing.**

_There. That should start quite a good conversation._ (This was the wine talking.)

**Alex: Actually bathing? Like taking a bath?**

**Maura: *with* bubbles.**

Alex’s ellipses appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared again, and she smirked, picturing him debating with himself over what he should reply to that with.

**Alex: Am I to assume that the bubbles are an indication that it isn’t simply a bath for getting oneself clean?**

**Maura: You assume correctly.**

**Alex: And what sort of event may I ask, might occur in a young lady’s day that would make her need to take a meditative bath at the end of the night?**

Should she tell him? She could very easily let him know right now that he was the cause of all of this; the one that turned her into this cliche of confused singledom. If Maura was being honest with herself, she had initially wanted him to make the conversation flirtier; because they were much better at that via text than they were in real life. Or maybe they _were_ good at it in real life, but texting just made them more honest.

**Maura: One that involves a certain bloke.**

**And her feelings towards that particular person.**

**….**

**Feelings that were in great need of a bottle of wine and some ice cream.**

There. She’d said it. And she had to wait a few moments longer than usual for Alex to reply. 

**Alex: What flavor?**

At that remark, she laughed out loud in the tiny bathroom, nearly dropping her phone into the bubbly water. It was then that she decided that she didn’t really need solid answers. She just wanted to see where it went with Alex and she didn’t care how it played out. He was smart and witty, and he made her laugh… and that was really all she needed right now.

//

**Maura: black raspberry**

Alex’s smile spread across his face at the thought of her drinking wine and eating ice cream in a tub full of bubbles. He imagined the way her hair might look in a tiny little knot on her head, and that she probably looked quite small in what was no doubt, a very old bathtub. He vowed right then to stop being weirded out by his own weirdness and just embrace the fact that he was falling for Maura and there wasn’t much he could do to prevent it.

**Alex: Hmm… I’m more of a vanilla bloke with all sorts of sweets stuffed in there.**

**Maura: kitchen sink kind of ice cream?**

**Alex: The more junk in there, the better.**

**Maura: do you have any in your freezer?**

**we could text and eat ice cream together.**

**almost like we’re hanging out.**

Jumping up from the settee, he jogged into the kitchen and rummaged through his freezer in search of an empty pint he knew he had hidden in there for just such an occasion. He found three to be exact. Three half-empty containers of all the kinds he liked. 

“Yeh’re like a fuckin’ single bird, Alex… what is this?”

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed a spoon and the one with the most ice cream; a vanilla and peanut butter swirl with chocolate bits and peanut butter cups, and headed back to the couch. About to sit back down, he realized he was still in his work clothes, and quickly discarded them for a t-shirt and trackies. 

**Alex: Found some. Vanilla, peanut butter swirl, and chocolate.**

**Maura: …**

**Pic or it didn’t happen.**

He laughed and did his best to take a selfie with the ice cream. It was blurry and stupid and totally uncool because he was rubbish at all that tech stuff, but he sent it anyways.

**Maura: Damn. That looks better than mine.**

**Alex: Show me.**

A second later, Maura sent a photo of herself with the ice cream _and_ the wine, just her head and the tops of her shoulders peeking out over the top of the tub. She must’ve set her phone up to take it. 

Alex studied it for much longer than he should have, but it was perfect. Her hair _did_ look sweet in a messy little knot, and her cheeks were glowing from the warmth of the water… and that cheeky little expression on her face struck him to the core. That little smirk and the sparkly hazelnut eyes made his stomach turn somersaults. 

And before he realized what he was doing, he sent his reply.

**Alex: You’re lovely.**

**Maura: …**

Watching those little ellipses floating on his screen was giving him major anxiety; so much so that he nearly tossed his phone across the room and let it be for the night.

**Maura: Is that what you were trying to tell me this afternoon in the library?**

**Alex: Sometimes… for me… it’s much easier to convey my feelings through written word. I’m not always the most eloquent or expressive in person.**

**Maura: there’s nothing wrong with the way you speak.**

**i actually find it quite endearing.**

**…**

**besides… your body does well with most of the talking.**

**…**

**FUCK that didn’t come out the way it was meant to! Hahahahaha**

Alex couldn’t stop smiling as he read each text that popped up from her. He laughed particularly hard at the expletive at the end. She had no idea what she did to him.

**Alex: I think I understand what you’re trying to say. And the reason why I texted you tonight was to explain the reason for my hand on your knee today…**

**Maura: you were trying to make an unsolicited move, i got it.**

**Alex: No! That’s not it at all…**

**Maura: i’m only kidding…**

**Alex: Alreyt… do you want me to-**

**Maura: I liked it.**

But Alex was still typing and hadn’t yet seen what she responded with. And when he read it, he nearly backtracked.

**Maura: do I want you to what?**

**Alex: I don’t want to say it over text, like this. I’d rather it be in person.**

**Maura: you’re honestly going to make me wait all night for whatever it is you have to tell me?**

**that hardly seems fair.**

**Alex: Delayed gratification.**

**Maura: Masochism.**

**Alex: Enjoy your bubbles and your ice cream, Miss Vaughn. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.**

**Maura: well, this is the absolute worst. can girls get blue balls from a conversation like this?**

**Alex: You might be the first case.**

**Maura: perfect. I have the very first case of highly inquisitive female blue balls.**

**Alex: Sounds serious. Should maybe get it checked out.**

**Maura: well, if I die tonight from sheer curiosity… you’ll be to blame.**

//

“Are yeh waitin’ for meh again?” Alex teased Maura where she sat perched on the fence near where he usually parked his bike in the mornings.

She shrugged, “Maybe.”

“So, yeh’re not dead.”

She raised her eyebrow at him inquisitively, “Dead?”

“I thought yeh were gun ‘teh die last night from… what was it? Oh yes, _highly inquisitive female blue balls_.” Alex was now stood before her, the smirk on his face both infuriating her and turning her on. 

She wanted to grab his face and kiss it right off him.

Grinning, she shook her head, her cheeks now colored that heavenly shade of pink that Alex loved so much. “Ah, yes… that would be the uh, _wine_ talking.”

“Y’are awfully truthful when yeh’ve ‘ad a bit to drink.”

Maura pursed her lips, studying him. His face was freshly shaven, his chin-length hair messy but still perfectly sexy despite having been trapped beneath a helmet for the last twenty minutes. His maroon trousers fit him so nicely, she couldn’t wait until they headed inside so she could lag behind and watch his butt in them as he walked. She almost felt savage, ogling him like some piece of meat. Then again, men had been doing it for centuries, why couldn’t women, too?

“Yeh forget I’ve had drinks with yeh before… just never via phone.” He set his bag on the ground, setting his helmet on top so he could roll up his sleeves. 

_Mmm, those arms._

“What did I say last time…?” Maura wondered aloud, completely forgetting about that Friday night in Sheff.

As he cuffed his sleeves he shrugged, “A few things… ‘ow I smell realeh good… and also that me lips are always chapped. _Which_ I believe you were supposed to ‘elp meh out with if I do recall…” He glanced up to look into her eyes and her face was even more pink than it had been before.

“I _said_ that?” She gasped quietly. 

“Among other things.”

“Oh God,” Maura covered her face with her hands, “I’m not sure if my head is pounding from the wine last night or the fact that I’m fantastic at making a fool of myself.”

“‘ey…” Alex slid his hands around her wrists so gently, she couldn’t help but pull away. “Yeh didn’t make a fool of yehrself… You were bein’ very honest… I like that.”

Maura bit her lip, and then remembering what he’d said yesterday, released it. 

He noticed.

“Yeh don’t ‘ave to stop doin’ that… I just… the two of us… alone in the library yesterday like that… I wasn’t sure I would’ve been able to stop myself.”

“Stop yourself from what?” She nearly whispered, mesmerized by the way he had locked eyes with her.

“Stop myself from kissing you.”

Maura gulped, unable to process what he’d just said at such an early hour in the day.

“ _That’s_ what I was goin’ to text yeh last night… but I couldn’t do it over the phone like that. Too impersonal.” Alex explained calmly, having thought about the exact wording all night long. 

Still holding her wrists, Alex glanced around the school grounds, double-checking that there was no one around. There wasn’t. Especially not near the area beneath the tree where he parked his bike. They were very secluded for once, no chance of anyone seeing them together just now.

His thumbs caressed her wrists before sliding down to hold her hands. Their fingers laced together, and Alex pulled her up from where she sat. At full height, the top of her head just cleared his nose; a whole half a head shorter than him. 

The blood was racing through Maura’s veins, the way they stood together now was the perfect positioning for a kiss. 

“I’m glad you didn’t tell me over the phone,” She smiled softly up at him, “I much prefer hearing it from you like this.” 

His eyes crinkled at the edges and she knew he was getting ready to tease her some more, “Judging by the looks of that wine bottle last night and the state yehr ‘ead is in reyt now; I’m not completely convinced yeh would ‘ave remembered it anyways.”

“That’s not true,” She pouted, “but I should probably lay off the drinking around you… I don’t want you to think I’m some sort of lush.”

“And miss out on all the funny little things yeh say when yeh’re intoxicated? No way,” He squeezed her hands, “not that I’m encouragin’ yeh to take up a drinking habit or summat.”

She giggled and took a deep breath, the crisp air filling her lungs as she stood there beneath the tree with Alex. She liked these mornings they shared; where no one else was around and they could just exist. She wanted so badly to spend time with just him outside of work, where they could really be themselves. 

“Let’s get goin’ inside, yeah?” He let go of her hands to crouch down and collect his things. 

They both felt a sort of loss when they broke contact. 

“I like that you make me laugh,” She told him quietly, clutching her bag and her Mary Quant book she’d been reading on the tram.

“I like makin’ yeh laugh,” Alex smiled, nudging her shoulder. “I told yeh, that smile of yehrs is one of me favorite things.”

She felt her cheeks warming, and wondered if his comments would ever stop making her blush. “You’ve made it so much easier for me, being here… away from my home. I don’t feel so lonely knowing I’ve got you to look forward to every day.”

“Realeh?” 

She nodded, and walked through the door he held open for her. “I don’t miss my family as much with you texting me at night, either.”

“I’ll text yeh every night then, just to make sure yeh don’t get too lonely.”

“I wouldn’t mind that.” They walked along in silence, the clicking of their shoes echoing in the empty halls. “Do you want to get together this weekend? Think of some ideas for our class?”

Alex grinned, “ _Our_ class.” He nodded in approval, “I like the sound of that. And yeah; I’d love teh.”

“You pick the time and place, I don’t know anything around here yet.”

“Let meh think about a good spot for brainstormin’ and I’ll get back to yeh at lunch.”

They stopped at his classroom door, and he made no moves yet to search for his keys. Maura lingered before heading off to her room. “Did you bring your lunch today, Mr. Turner?”

Alex’s eyes blazed when she called him that, “That depends _Miss Vaughn_ … what ‘ave _you_ got today?” 

“Sandwich again. Crisps. A bit of chocolate.”

His eyes lit up at the mention of the sweets, “What’s on yehr sandwich?”

“Hmm…” She had to think for a moment, “Cheddar cheese and ham and apple slices.”

Alex leaned towards her conspiratorially, “Think I actually might’ve forgot mine again today…”

Maura struggled to keep her smile from stretching too wide, but he made her so happy she couldn’t help it. “Come find me again and I’ll share.” She turned to leave him before she stayed and talked all day.

“Same place as yesterday?” He called out after her; hating it when she left him, but loving when he got to watch her walk away.

She shrugged, “I dunno… might switch locations. _Some_ people have difficulty controlling themselves in libraries.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flirting. Tension. First-kisses…
> 
> I hope you like this next part… xx

On Saturday morning as Alex was heading into the little bakery tucked away on a tiny cobblestone street, he thought of two things: the first being that he couldn’t believe how fast the weeks flew by now that he actually had things to look forward to on the weekends; and the second was that he could get used to this; meeting up with Maura in some of his favorite places around the city.

She was already occupying a table by the windows, gazing outside at the sky and the storm clouds that seemed to be always threatening to burst. It was colder this morning than it had been all week, and she was wearing a sweater with her skirt and tights. He thought she’d reserved her skirts for the workweek, but he was pleased to discover that she also liked wearing them on her days off, too. Her tights had little black hearts all over them and for some reason, Alex felt irrationally turned on by such an innocent accessory. The more time they spent together, the more Alex learned about her, and the more vivid the details he could draw up in his mind while he fantasized about her. 

Like right now for instance, he imagined her stripping out of her clothes in the evening after work and coming to find him in his room wearing only those tights. He knew he’d kiss her until either their lips went raw, or they both couldn’t take it anymore. He’d long since given up on scolding his subconscious when these little daydreams popped into his head. She was gorgeous and he wanted her, and she definitely wanted him, and he was confident it was going to happen soon enough. But for now, he didn’t mind the cat and mouse.

His presence as he approached the table caught her eye, and when she saw him, her face lit up. “Good morning!”

“Morning, love,” Alex smiled cheerfully, before he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. She smelled heavenly, and for a moment he considered actually kissing her.

Maura watched him as he shrugged out of his leather jacket, an ivory-colored henley underneath. His arms looked more defined than usual; perhaps the smaller fit accentuated his muscles more. She’d never seen him looking like this, and she liked it. _Really_ liked it. His hair was a bit messy, yet still kinda slicked back, and he was wearing beat up Spring Court sneakers with his jeans. It was such a startling contrast to his look when he crossed one leg casually over the other beneath their table. 

“I hope you don’t mind that I came inside, it was too cold to wait out there,” She admitted, wrapping her hands around her warm cup of coffee.

“I don’t mind at all,” He smiled, “Can’t ‘ave yeh freezin’ out there alreadeh. But it _is_ only the end of September; weh ‘aven’t yet begun to feel the real chill.”

Maura made a face, “I’m kind of dreading it actually… I mean, it’s cold by the shore in New England, but this is something else entirely.”

“No sun. Damp weather. That’s why weh all look like vampires ‘round ‘ere.” He lifted his menu and asked if she’d ordered yet.

“Not yet, just the coffee. I wanted to wait for you.”

“How long ‘ave yeh been waitin’?” 

“Only a few minutes. I left extra early to make sure I found it alright.” She glanced around, “I love it here. I could wake up every morning to this.”

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing as I walked in.” Except he didn’t bother to include the bit about waking up to meet her. 

She smiled and covered her hands with the long sleeves of her navy blue sweater. Her pale blue oxford peeked out at the collar and the hem, keeping it from being too childish. She’d always thought that hearts should never be dressed up too cute. Or with bright colors.“What’s good here?” She asked him since he’d chosen the spot.

He peeked at her over the menu, “Honestly? Everything.” He laughed but then went into a detailed description of his absolute favorites. They served all the traditional breakfast dishes, pancakes and waffles being at the top of his list. He was a sucker for all their pastries too, and couldn’t leave without a selection to take home in one of their little paper bags.

“You have such a sweet tooth!” Maura exclaimed, thinking back to a few days ago when she had to pry her chocolate from his fingertips when they’d shared her lunch a second day in a row.

“I know it! I can’t ‘elp it,” He laughed, “I gotta throw in a few work-outs once in awhile to maintain this figure.”

In the end, they ordered a bunch of things a la carte so Maura could try it all. 

“So you agree with meh that the pancakes are the best thing yeh’ve ever tasted, reyt?” Alex asked her, sipping the end of his second cup of coffee.

Maura was still chewing the last bit of the fluffy blueberry riddled pancake, but she nodded eagerly before wiping her mouth with her napkin. “Yes! They’re delicious! If I could, I would sleep on a bed of these blueberry pancakes every night…with butter pillows.”

“Yeh’d wake up smellin’ sweet like syrup and butter every morning… I wouldn’t mind that.” He stacked their little plates up for the waitress and peeked at her through his long eyelashes.

_So he’s thinking about what it’d be like to wake up beside me… If I had a bed of pancakes and Alex Turner for a boyfriend, I would never leave my room._

“Then again… trying to get syrup out of yehr ‘air…”

“Would be no different than whatever it is you use to get your hair to stay like that.” She teased, smiling into her coffee mug.

Self-consciously, he ran his hands through the half-gelled mess; instantly regretting the product with the rain.

“Don’t worry, it still looks good.” She mused, studying his face in the morning light. “I’ve been wondering what your hair looks like when it’s not all greased up.”

“Well,” Alex began, taking a deep breath as if he were going to tell a long tale. “It’s actually pretteh wavy. I’ve got thick ‘air like yehrs.”

Today she had her caramel locks pulled back into a little knot again, loose pieces falling out and tucked behind her ears. Her face looked pleasant and warm, and he did his very best to study her without letting her notice he was doing it quite so much. 

The waitress came then and cleared their plates, leaving their coffee mugs with fresh refills. Maura was adding cream and sugar to hers when Alex mentioned that they ought to start talking about what they came here for in the first place.

“Oh!” Maura exclaimed excitedly, “I wrote some notes down!” She turned in her chair to pull a tiny notebook from her bag. 

“Yeh took notes?” Alex deadpanned, his expression flat and almost mocking, “that is so…incredibly…” He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a similar notebook, “uncool.”

For a second Maura thought he was serious until she saw his book, and the giant grin on his face.

“You’re a jerk.”

He chuckled, “I would never make fun of note-taking. I’m quite serious about it. Take notes about everythin’. Observations. Musings. Lyrics.”

“Oh yeah,” Maura smiled, “I forgot you’re a singer.”

“ _Was._ ” He corrected her.

She made a face, “If you can sing, you’re a singer, Alex. No one can take that from you. You don’t just magically lose that ability one day. _And_ don’t think I forgot that you promised you’d sing for _me_ one day.”

“I didn’t forget, love,” The corner of his mouth turned up at the fire that sometimes blazed right out of her. There was an underlying tenacity to her that he discovered he could somehow coax out with the right prompts. “I promise I will.”

“Soon.” 

“When yeh least expect it.” He opened his notebook and turned to a particularly over-filled page, “So, tell me what yehr thoughts are.”

And that was when Alex learned just how passionate Maura was about her love of the sixties. 

She rambled on for a few minutes, spouting ideas left and right; some that matched thoughts Alex had, and others were ones he hadn’t had the knowledge to even consider. She was brilliant, and she was not only completely fluid in her subject, but also well-versed in his.

“How do you feel about the ‘ _Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test_ ’?”

Alex was so mesmerized by her talking that he hadn’t realized she’d actually stopped to ask his opinion on something. “Yeh know I love Tom Wolfe. Brilliant. Great book.”

“I think it would be perfect to coincide with the Beat Generation for me, and for you; New Journalism. Like Kerouac.” Her hazelnut eyes grew wide as she looked at him expectantly, hoping for the same enthusiasm she had. The truth was, Alex _did_ have it, but he wasn’t as good as expressing it as she was, and he would much rather hear it from her anyways.

“Yeh’re summat else, yeh know that?” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table to sit closer to her.

She blushed.

_There it is._

She tucked her hair behind her ears.

_And her nervous little habit. If she bites her lip; I’m a goner._

“Am I talking too much? Did I go overboard? I have a tendency to do that with stuff I’m really into. My mom calls it obsessive, but I hate that word. _Passionate_ just sounds _nicer_.” 

Alex just smirked at her, “It’s not too much. Not at all. I like seeing this side of you. I wouldn’t mind sittin’ in on one of yehr classes… I bet there’s a lot you could teach meh.”

Maura’s lips pursed as she fought back a smile. _For that sort of thing, Mr. Turner I offer_ private _classes._ And then her mind drifted to an image of the two of them messing around after school. He would press his body against hers, leaning them against her desk, lifting her skirt and sliding his hand between her-

“There!” He exclaimed teasingly, pointing at her, “What’s that? What’s that smirk for?”

She shook her head, “No, no, no… I can’t tell you.”

Her cheeks were getting rosier by the second and Alex wouldn’t back down. “Yeh just ‘ad a dirty thought, didn’t yeh? I know it. I could tell from that sparkle in yehr eye.”

“I didn’t though,” She did her best to lie, but he was making her smile with every accusation.

“C’mon love,” He inched closer, doing his best to charm her into telling him, “Tell meh what dirty little thought just popped into yehr ‘ead. You can whisper it in me ear, and I promise I won’t laugh.”

“Why do you think I had a dirty thought anyways? You don’t know _what_ I’m thinking. Maybe _you’re_ projecting.” 

“Yeh’re right, I am… there’s _so_ many inappropriate thoughts in me ‘ead reyt now. C’mon, just tell meh. Live a little.”

She exhaled and then leaned forward, cupping her hand around her mouth to whisper the word, “No,” in his ear.

He leaned back shooting her a dirty look, “Yeh’re no fun.”

“I am too fun!” She cried, “I just… it’s not as easy for me to be so forthright like you are. Especially when it comes to that sort of thing.”

“What sort of thing?” Alex was trying to trick her now.

“Sexual stuff.”

“Ah ha!” He cried, “So yeh _were_ thinkin’ summat naughty.”

She covered her face with her hands in embarrassment because he’d got her. Just the satisfaction of him knowing that she was thinking about him like _that_ was enough to make her want to crawl into a hole and die.

“Are yeh seriously upset?” Alex asked her after his laughter died down, and he tried to peek under her hands to see if she was alright.

“I’m fine.” She mumbled and laughed when Alex tired to get underneath her hands to see her face. “Stop that,” She swatted him away and he sat back with a chuckle.

“I’m sorry if me teasin’ embarrassed yeh. I was only ‘avin’ a laugh.” He told her sincerely. “Yeh don’t have to tell meh anything yeh don’t want to tell meh. And you can call me a twat when I’m acting like one.”

“Okay… you’re acting like a twat.”

He grinned, “I’m sorry… again.”

After the teasing subsided, they got back to brainstorming some thoughts, and finally settled on discussing the Beat Generation, Women’s Lib, and Vietnam since the crossover in information was so fitting for those subjects. By the end of their discussion it was just after noon, and they both felt confident enough to take their idea to Headmaster.

//

“That was so lovely, just bein’ with yeh in there all morning… I kind of don’t want the day to end reyt now…” Alex admitted once they’d stepped out onto the sidewalk. He’d paid for breakfast even when she protested; but he told her it was his treat. 

“I feel the same way… it doesn’t have to end now… we’ve got the whole weekend.”

“Since when did breakfast with a side of work discussion turn into us spendin’ the whole weekend together?” Alex teased her again and she pretended like she was going to choke him.

“Are you ever going to stop teasing me?” She looked up at him, grinning like a fool.

He shook his head, “Probably not. I love yehr reactions too much to stop.” 

She scrunched her face up and tightened her grip on her bag that she’d slung over her shoulder. The way she looked just now, standing there with the wind whipping her hair and her skirt swaying gently was convincing enough for Alex to spend _every_ afternoon _, every_ weekend with her.

_I just want to wrap me arms around yeh, Maura. Hug and kiss yeh until yeh push meh away._

He lifted his hand and brushed a bit of unruly hair from her face, “Well, if weh’ve both honestly got no place else to be… let’s spend the rest of the day together.”

 _Like a date?_

She nodded, “Alright, let’s do it.”

They began down the sidewalk when she stopped and asked him about his motorcycle. 

“Oh, it’s fine there for a few hours. We’ll come back and get it once weh’re all done explorin’.” He glanced down at her as she looked back at it forlornly, “Yeh want to ride it, don’t yeh?”

She snapped her head back to look at him, “Excuse me?”

He chuckled, “The bike. My motorcycle. Yeh want to go for a ride on it, yeah?”

“Oh…” She grinned, “Yeah… I actually do.”

“I’ll take yeh today if the weather holds out.” They walked a few more feet in silence before Alex began to laugh, “What did yeh think I was askin’ yeh about anyways, if it weren’t the bike?”

“It’s one of those things I have trouble talking about.” She murmured with a small grin and took a few quick steps ahead of him.

 _She wants meh so bad_. 

Alex shook his head and took a few extra strides to catch up. Their hands nearly touched as they walked along, and Alex knew that by the end of this day, something major was going to occur between the two of them. The tension was there. He could feel it building with every conversation, every smirk, every little laugh. It was so thick it was making it difficult for him to breathe when he was around her. 

He wanted her. 

He wanted her all to himself so he could spend his days getting lost in her mind… spend his nights exploring the soft curves of her body…

Maura was talking to him now, pointing at things in windows; making observations about the city that he’d never even noticed himself in all the time he’d lived here. They spent the next few hours ducking into quaint little bookstores and marveling at architecture and statues sprinkled throughout the city. He shared memories about his life growing up in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, and the places he used to hang out with Helders and the boys. He told her about his first job at a pub called The Boardwalk where he’d once met a famous poet, which made him want to become a singer.

She told him about living in New England; what her family and her siblings were like and how she fell in love with the sixties after watching a documentary on Woodstock. He also managed to get her to tell him what she did for fun when she didn’t have her nose buried in history and fashion books. She loved going to the movies and she loved painting, but she honestly loved to read above all else.

The wind seemed to pick up slightly as the afternoon made way for dusk, and Alex noticed her shivering a bit. He suggested they stop and grab something warm for their walk back to the bakery where his motorcycle still sat.

“Here yeh go, love,” He handed her a small paper cup filled with hot cocoa and loads of whipped cream.

She smiled and wrapped her hands around it, grateful for the warmth it was radiating. “So your parents are teachers, too?” She asked, continuing the conversation they’d began before they’d ducked inside the tiny cafe.

He nodded, “Were. They’re both retired now. But yeah, they both taught at Sheffield University which is ‘ow Headmaster knows meh so well.” He sipped a bit of his drink, “He’s known meh since I were little… me folks met and fell in love at that school.”

Maura’s ears perked up at that little fact, and she bit her lip. _Was history repeating itself right now?_

“They fell in love at our University?”

Alex nodded. “Me dad has lived in Sheff his whole life, and me mum moved here from Amersham, that’s in Buckinghamshire, England,” He explained as if she had _any_ sense whatsoever of the geographical locations in this country. “Anyways, he said he clapped eyes on her on her first day there and instantly fell in love. He knew he had to have her. The rest is history.”

“And here you are,” Maura said softly, her heart nearly exploding with how much love she felt for everything. For this city… for this walk… for Alex and his folks… for _fate_ because something was calling her to come here and meet this perfect human walking beside her.

“Yup. ‘ere I am. A little University love child.” He chuckled, glancing down at her.

“Alex,” Her voice was measured, but it cracked a little when she spoke “that is the most romantic story I’ve ever heard.”

Alex smiled, not even realizing when he began telling it how much it paralleled the two of them. How had he not realized that earlier? Yes, there were similarities he’d picked up on, but it honestly did feel like history was setting itself up for repetition. He looked down at Maura as their pace slowed a bit, brushing his fingers against hers, inviting her to hold his hand.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she laced their fingers together and squeezed.

“Are yeh still cold?” He asked her quietly, their arms swinging gently between them.

She shook her head and looked up into that beautiful, honest face of his, “Not anymore.”

//

“If yeh’re scared to do it, I can just get a cab to take yeh home. Weh don’t ‘ave to do this.”

Maura was shaking with excitement. “No. I’m not scared. I’m doing it.”

“It’s gonna be cold, just so yeh know.” Alex warned her, unstrapping the extra helmet from the back seat of his bike.

“But I’ll have you to hold on to.” Maura grinned at him and Alex stopped mid-action to glance over his shoulder at her.

He raised his eyebrow and smirked; her twinkly eyes sparkling in response. “Yeh might want to take yehr ‘air out… that little knot will probably get stuck.”

Maura pulled the elastic from her hair, shaking it out and tucking it behind her ears so Alex could slide the helmet on her head. He was as gentle as possible, taking care not to hurt her ears. Once it was on and he’d fastened the strap on her chin, she found that she had difficulty hearing with the sound being muffled.

Alex slid his own helmet on and told her he was going to sit on the bike and that she was to follow as soon as he’d stood it up and balanced it. She realized then that a skirt was probably not the best thing to wear when straddling a bike seat, but she hiked it up anyways and swung her leg over, using Alex’s shoulders to balance herself. The seat was cold but Alex’s body was incredibly warm, so she immediately wound her arms around his waist, hugging him.

His heart was pounding when he felt Maura press her entire body against his backside, her legs gripping the sides of his legs, her hands folded just above his belt buckle. He hadn’t thought about how intimate this would feel when he offered to give her a ride earlier, but here they were and he wasn’t complaining.

“Yeh’re gonna wanna hold on tighter, love,” He called to her over his shoulder and she tightened her grip, nerves suddenly setting in. He placed his hands on her thighs and squeezed, rubbing them a second to reassure her that he was going to take care of her; keep her safe.

Maura was chewing on her lip while she waited in anticipation for him to just start it up and take off already. The waiting was killing her. 

He lifted himself up a little and revved it, the whole body of the bike rumbling loud beneath her. She squeezed her legs tighter and she thought she could hear Alex’s laughter carried through the wind.

One minute they were still, and the next, the city lights of Sheffield were a bright blur against the inky black sky. The wind whipped at her legs, her skirt billowing up at her sides as they coasted through the streets making their way to the back roads. She felt like she was flying, despite the bulkiness of the helmet and her intense fear of moving even the slightest for the fear of falling off.

She closed her eyes for a second and pressed herself into Alex even more, the warmth of his stomach beneath his jacket and shirt, cozy and inviting. He was like a complete juxtaposition; a quiet, gentle mind with a rebelliousness outgoing side to him. It seemed as if he was buzzing with energy right now, and his attitude was infectious. 

Alex glanced in his mirror to check on her behind him, smiling to himself when he saw how wide her eyes were now, taking in everything as they flew down the street. He remembered how to get to her flat surprisingly, taking the long way round just to spend more time with her arms wrapped around his waist. 

There weren’t many stops on this particular route, but on the first one they came to, he set his feet down to balance and turned his head as much as he could to look at her.

“Y’alreyt, love?!”

“Yes!” She cried back, enthusiastic laughter bubbling from her lips.

He laughed and when the light changed, sped off. He wasn’t going as fast as he was able or would’ve liked, only because she wasn’t properly dressed in case they got into an accident. He’d made a promise to himself that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her, not under his watch anyways.

Before they knew it, they’d arrived on her street. Maura swallowed hard, that lump in her throat forming when she realized their night would be over in a few minutes. Just when she was feeling her most comfortable with Alex, they had to go their separate ways. She could invite him up tonight, she honestly could. There was nothing and no one stopping them…

When he came to a stop in front of her flat and shut down his bike, she was desperate to get the helmet off. It was the only thing she didn’t like about the ride. She wanted to be able to see and hear everything; feel the wind in her hair, but safety ruled out.

“That was… _so_ incredibly awesome!” Maura told him excitedly, sliding off the seat to stand beside him.

“Did yeh love it?” Alex asked her, now that they could both talk freely without the helmets restricting them.

“ _So much_! You have _no_ idea…” She felt like her skin was electric, and she bounced a little on her heels, grinning.

He laughed and swung his leg over the bike, standing in front of her now. His body felt super-charged, and he could feel her body buzzing, too. They smiled and stared into each other’s eyes, sort of leaning in towards one another, waiting for someone to make the first move. But a crowd of laughing people passed them on the street, snapping them both back to reality.

The moment was there, between the two of them that could’ve been their very first kiss…

They laughed nervously, like two shy teenagers on their first date. 

“Spend the day with meh tomorrow, too,” Alex suddenly blurted, his face flush from the moment. “I could take yeh out on the bike again, for a longer, faster ride. Weh could go out into the country and ride the dirt roads. I know yeh’d love it.”

Maura’s eyes widened in shock because he’d just described the daydream she’d had the first time he offered to give her a ride on his bike. He was a mindreader. Or he was completely in tune with her already.

“You wanna spend the whole day again with me tomorrow?” 

“I wanna spend everyday with yeh, Maura.” Alex confessed, his face quite serious despite the twinkling in his eyes.

She felt the rush of color to her cheeks and she pressed her hands to them to hide it perhaps, she wasn’t quite sure.

“Stop,” Alex reached for her hands and held them in his, “don’t cover yehr face, love.”

_God, his hands are so warm and soft._

“It’s so hard to… you… you just have no idea what you’re doing to me,” She murmured softly, looking up at him.

“I think I’ve got a pretty good idea,” He grinned and squeezed her hands, “So yeh’re comin’ with meh tomorrow?”

“Of course I’m coming.”

Alex looked very much like a little boy under the streetlamp outside her building, so eager and anxious. “Alreyt then…” His grin got wider if that were even possible. “I’m gonna leave so weh both can get some sleep…”

Maura giggled, “Okay… get home safe.”

“I will. But first I’m gonna wait ’til yeh get inside yehr place. Wave to me from the window or summat.”

She giggled again, “Alright… good night, Alex.”

“G’night, love.” He took the extra helmet from her and watched her walk up the sidewalk to the door.

It was only a moment or two before the light was on in her flat and she was at the window. He waved his arms, signaling for her to open the window.

“Did I forget something?” She called down to him.

“No, no… just, make sure yeh don’t wear a skirt tomorrow, it’s gotta be denim!”

She laughed, “Got it.”

“I wanna show yeh what it’s like to go realeh fast.” 

She chewed her bottom lip, “I can’t wait!”

“Be ready early… I’m comin’ at nine!”

“I’ll be ready, I promise. Now get out of here! Get some sleep!” She shouted to him, glancing around to see if anyone had heard them.

Grinning, he put his helmet back on and took off down the street.

//

Maura had been so exhausted from the day before that she passed out the second Alex left Saturday night; which meant she was up and ready to go by 7:30 that morning. It was a perfect day, too… the complete opposite of yesterday’s weather. The air was cool and slightly breezy, and the sun was up and shining like a regular summer day back home. She followed Alex’s instructions, and pulled on her tightest jeans; a pair of vintage Levi’s. It was unlike her to sacrifice style for comfort, so she found a pale pink muscle-tank with gussets under the arms, and a thin, barely-there bra that would peek out from the sides a little. She added her worn-in black chelsea boots and she was good to go.

She sipped her coffee while she finished getting ready. Her hair was still in tact from yesterday, but she made sure to grab a hair elastic in case she wanted to pull it back again. She kept her makeup as light and fresh as possible, just the basics; blush, mascara, lip balm. If she was gonna have that damn helmet on her head all day, she didn’t really care what she looked like underneath.

Today, she was nervous. She looked down at her hand gripping her mug, and noticed how badly it was shaking. For some reason, today seemed different than the other times they’d hung out. There was no group of friends to fall back on, no work-related subjects to discuss… this was just Alex and Maura; riding out into the middle of nowhere.

And she couldn’t get their almost kisses out of her head.

“Ugh.”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, wavering as she felt it rush past her lips. It wasn’t even 8:30 yet, but she was so anxious to see him already. She made a vow to herself to try and not be so nervous with him, to be herself and not over-think everything. Alex was her friend first, and she valued that above all else.

Downing the rest of her coffee, she ate an apple with some almond butter and quickly brushed her teeth before grabbing her sunglasses, ID, money, and her phone before dashing downstairs. She wanted to be waiting outside when he showed up.

She could hear his bike before she saw it, and her heart raced at the thought of seeing him in a few seconds. He pulled up to the curb dressed very similar to yesterday, except for a different leather jacket. This one was very worn-in with two white stripes running down the front. At least they were once probably white, but now they were a faded cream color. 

Maura stood up on the steps and smiled at him, feeling like she was floating over as she met him on the sidewalk. He took his helmet off and combed his fingers through his hair to tame it. She tucked her hands into her back pockets, rocking back on her boot heels. 

“Feels like ages since I saw yeh last,” He grinned and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She tried to not giggle, but she couldn’t stop it. “Morning, love. Yeh look gorgeous as usual.”

“Thank you,” She murmured, lifting her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “I hope my outfit meets all of your requirements.”

With a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, he told her it was more than perfect. “I like those jeans… _a lot_.”

 _Of course you do_. 

“I have summat for yeh,” He turned back to his bike and lifted up the seat. Maura bit her lip admiring his ass in his jeans. It was a perfect little peach shape which gave her the impression that after grabbing it, it probably bounced back to shape like memory foam. The thought made her stifle her laughter, not wanting him to know she was checking him out like she was.

A moment later, he produced a second leather jacket which looked just about her size. “This is me old one… it’s a little tighter in me arms then it used to be, but I didn’t know if yeh ‘ad yehr own. You can wear it at least until weh get into the countryside.”

_I’m about to wear Alex’s jacket. If he wasn’t standing here right now, I would squeal with excitement. Let’s skip the drive and just make out right now._

He held it open for her, and she turned around, sliding her arms inside. It was a little big in her shoulders, but it smelled like him and she decided she was never taking it off.

“There, I’m official now.” She smiled and he held up the second helmet and her face fell as she groaned.

He laughed, “Yeh ‘ate this thing don’t yeh?” He brushed her hair back from her face, his fingers tucking it behind her ears before he slid it onto her head.

“I do hate it. I can’t hear anything. I wanna feel the wind in my hair. Do I have to wear it?” She nearly pouted which made him laugh more.

“Love,” He chuckled, “yeh’ve gotta wear it to be safe. I can’t ‘ave anythin’ ‘appenin’ to yeh.” He fastened the strap and then tapped her little button nose. “And if it’s any consolation, yeh look pretty fuckin’ sexy like this.”

Her eyes grew about three sizes and her cheeks flamed at the way he said _sexy._ _Damn it. You promised you wouldn’t be like this, Maura._

“What?! I can’t hear you!” She exclaimed teasingly, deflecting his comment for fear of saying something completely stupid about how fucking hot he was.

“Oh c’mon, it’s not _that_ bad.”

She sighed, “It’s actually not. And I _do_ feel pretty badass.”

“I told yeh, yeh look it.”

“Ohhh, is that what you were saying?” She grinned and waited for him to climb onto the bike.

“Yeh ‘eard meh, Miss Vaughn.”

Maura watched him slide his leg over, his jeans bunching at his crotch when he straddled the seat. _Oh God._ The way his thighs looked in his jeans made her want to dig her fingernails into them, squeeze them, maybe even climb on his lap and straddle him _._

_Stop it. Don’t think about that right now or your head is gonna go all fuzzy and ruin it for you. Don’t think about him naked right now, either. I’m sure he’s fucking gorgeous but cross that bridge when you come to it._

“Are yeh ready?” He asked her, interrupting her thoughts.

She slid her glasses on, “Born. Let’s do this.” She tucked her phone and her money inside the jacket, zipped it up, and gripped Alex’s shoulders once more to climb on. 

“Alreyt… it’s about a half hour into the country… and we’ll take a break when we get there. If yeh need to stop for any reason just erm… pinch me,” He laughed and she quickly followed.

“Got it.” 

Deciding to be a littler bolder than she usually was, she slid her arms around Alex’s waist slowly, her palms flat, feeling his warm t-shirt and a bit of his skin where his shirt rode up above his belt. 

Alex had no idea she’d touch him like that, being so shy all the damn time, but she took her time winding her arms around his waist, and he closed his eyes for a second to get his composure back. He liked the feel of her fingertips on his skin. He wanted more of it. Her hands were locked together, and he put his hand over them, holding them against his stomach. She inched forward so the whole front of her was pressed against his back. Her legs gripped the sides of his thighs tightly, and he could feel her breasts pressing against him when she leaned in.

_Fuck me. This is like fucking heaven on earth right now._

Maura bit her lip, quite pleased with herself for being a little flirt. She was comfortable like this. And she _really_ liked Alex’s butt between her legs. It took all her strength to stop herself from grabbing at it. She desperately wanted to.

 _Maybe I can pretend I need something and then I can pinch his butt to get his attention. He_ did _say to pinch him if I needed anything._

The bike’s motor rumbling to life caught her attention and she held on even tighter, more than ready to ride. Alex checked his mirrors and headed for the A57 Snake, to get to the Woodhead Pass that would take them into the rolling country. Sheffield was the only city to have more trees than people, _and_ the only city to have such diverse landscape. It was one of the things he liked most about living here; the ability to be out of the city in a matter of minutes if he really wanted to. Like a mini getaway.

Maura hadn’t really seen a lot of Sheffield and Yorkshire being that she took public transportation nearly everyday. She didn’t have much need for a car when there were so many other options available to her. Now that they were out riding during the day, she had the advantage as passenger to just sit back and enjoy the sights. There was such a varied mix of lifestyles and housing; from the mega-rich homes and townhouses to the urban flats and shakers. She wondered where Alex grew up exactly, where High Green was actually located. She made a mental note for him to show her some day.

Alex had been right about the time it would take to be out of the city, because before they knew it, there were rolling green hills and farms and country for as far as the eye could see. It was beautiful and completely unlike anything Maura had ever seen before in her life. She felt like she was on a different planet right now, the lush greenery slowly fading to make way for fall to turn. She imagined it must look even more beautiful when autumn was fully in effect; the colors and the haystacks and grey weather. 

They came to a stop not far past a road sign and Alex turned to ask her how she was doing and if she needed anything.

“Are we stopping?” She cried out to him over the hum of the bike.

Alex grinned at his reflection in her sunglasses, having no idea she’d be so excited about riding. “I was just checking on yeh to see if yeh’re alreyt!”

“I love it! I don’t wanna stop!” She laughed, “Can we go any faster?”

“Definitely… I know a road not far from ‘ere that would be perfect; straight shot for about three miles!”

“Yes! Let’s go!”

So he set off again, heading past barns and fields and farms, trying to find that road to really open her up and see how fast they could take her. He knew the dirt road he was thinking of had very little traffic coming through and he headed in that direction. He was gonna show Maura exactly how much fun it was to ride, maybe even teach her a thing or two.

The sun was rising higher and hotter in the sky, and Maura could feel her skin sweating beneath the leather. She had a feeling she was going to look like a wet dog after they were through, but it was so worth it. 

It wasn’t long after before Alex found the road he was thinking of. There was nothing but stretches of fields surrounding them on either side; green for days. Alex slowed the bike and let her idle for a few moments while he explained to Maura that it was super important that she held on tight when he gunned it. 

“If you ask me, I think you just want me pressed up against you, Mr. Turner!” She grinned happily, sitting back on the seat a little. 

Alex was blushing now, “That’s not… it’s… well… maybeh.” He stuttered, fortunate that she couldn’t see his eyes behind his shades. 

Maura just smiled knowingly. 

“ _But…_ it’s all for yeh safety, too. I don’t want yeh to get ‘urt, love.” Alex quickly explained, making sure she knew he wasn’t just putting the moves on her.

“I have no intentions of letting go,” She assured him, tugging on the hem of his jacket before sliding her arms inside and around again. “I’m ready.”

He glanced at her once more over his shoulder before revving the bike up again. He took a deep breath, releasing it quick before he peeled out; the back of the bike fishtailing a little before it kicked up a shit ton of dirt and they raced off down the road. 

Maura shrieked when she felt the buzz between her legs and the rush of the wind as it hit her face. She dug her fingers into Alex’s stomach, hoping she wasn’t gripping him too hard; but also not giving a fuck because there was no way she wanted to go flying off this bike anytime soon.

Alex checked her out in his side mirror, his heart pounding at the sights and sounds of her feeling absolutely free. He didn’t care that her fingers were pressing into him, he loved having her this close, feeling this good with her.

The dirt clouds rose up around them and Maura turned her head to watch the destruction they left in their wake. If she just focused on the horizon and nothing else, she really did feel like she was flying, and it was easily the most thrilling moment of her life. 

The road was going to bend in a few meters, and Maura held Alex tight in preparation for a stop or a turn or whatever else he might choose to do. Alex knew there was a large possibility that they could tip over if he made a giant circle in the dirt, but he figured if he gave them a wide enough berth, then he could make it. He leaned into the front of the bike and took it easy into a giant arc, ending their sprint facing the direction they’d come from. 

“Alex!” Maura cried, laughing and releasing his waist to throw her arms out to the sides.

He shut off the bike and and yanked his glasses and helmet off, breathing heavily from the adrenaline. His hair felt damp and his skin felt sticky, but he was having so much fun.

“How did that make yeh feel?” He asked her and she threw her head back, letting out a scream. 

“Exactly like that!” She grinned and he laughed with her.

“Pretty exhilaratin’ innit?” 

“Hell yeah!” She gushed, “I’ve been wanting to do that my entire life, ya know. I know that I’m completely _not_ the type to be riding motorcycles around, but I’ve always wanted to ride one.”

“Who’s says yeh’re not the type? What? Because yeh wear skirts and dress like a mod? Do yeh know who were the spokewoman for Triumph in the sixties?”

She shook her head.

“One of the sexiest women in Hollywood at the time; Ann Margaret. She could sing and dance with Elvis _and_ she could also ride a 500 cc Triumph T100C Tiger motorcycle.”

Maura listened to Alex, entranced by every word he said. _God damn it, he’s so smart. And sexy. Kill me._

“I had no idea!”

“I thought yeh were an _expert_ on the sixties?” He teased her and she shoved him for making fun of her yet again.

“Build me up just to cut me down, Turner!” She exclaimed and he chuckled.

“I’m serious though. You can literally do anythin’ yeh want. If yeh wanna ride; yeh should. In fact,” Alex kicked out the kickstand on the bike, letting it lean while he unzipped his jacket and climbed off the bike. “Stand up, c’mon.”

A bit bewildered, Maura did as he asked.

“Now, off with the jacket… it’s fuckin’ swelterin’ out ‘ere,” He grasped the front of his shirt and aired himself out.

Once the jacket was off, he took them both, rolled them up, and stuffed them beneath the bike seat. It was a small Yamaha with little to no storage space. 

“Yeh’re gonna learn teh ride.”

“Right now?” She cried, airing her shirt out as well.

“Yes. Reyt now.” 

She glanced at the bike, small yet still very intimidating. “I’m scared.”

“No yeh’re not. I have a feelin’ yeh’re gonna be a natural. 

“Well, I can’t do it alone.”

“Stop makin’ excuses. And yeh’re not gonna be alone, I’ll be with yeh.” He assured her, “You can do this. There’s no one around. Weh’re completely alone. There’s no one to make yeh nervous or get embarrassed in front of.”

“Seriously? You’re gonna teach me?”

“Yes.”

“Right now?”  
“Right now.” He pointed to the bike; “Get on it.”

She was nervous but excited. She trusted him, there was no doubt. If she was going to learn, then she was glad it was with him. Gripping her hands on the handles, she swung her leg over and settled into the still warm leather seat.

“Don’t touch anythin’ until I get on, give meh a sec,” Alex slipped his helmet back on, then placed his hand on her waist to use her as balance while he climbed on behind her.

 _Dying. Inside. Right. Now._ Maura nearly melted at the touch of his hand on her, hoping desperately that she didn’t feel too sweaty from being bound up in that jacket all morning.

Alex was trying to act all cool and casual, but the second he got on that bike seat behind her, everything inside him turned to mush. “I’ve gotta get closer to yeh so I can reach the ‘andles, alreyt?”

“Yes,” Maura barely whispered, Alex’s body now pressed up against her back, his arms caging her in as he reached forward. 

“Now,” He began, doing his best to explain to her how to start it up. “First yeh wanna turn the ignition switch on, like this,” He placed her hand on it and she did as he asked. “Yeh never want the kill switch in the ‘off’ position. Then yeh’re gonna want to shift your transmission into neutral. Weh don’t have to worry about the choke because the engine ‘asn’t gone cold yet. Put yeh’re ‘ands up ‘ere,” He motioned to where his hands were on the handles, and then he placed his over hers. “Pull in the clutch, and because this bike is a kick-starter, yeh’re gonna unfold the lever, which is right here above the footrest,” He kicked that up and helped her balance the bike beneath them, “and then yeh’re gonna kick it downward to start the bike.”

“Me?” She asked him timidly.

“Yeah darlin’, this is all you.”

“Whew…” She breathed out and she sat up a little, lifting her foot to kick it. It took her a try or two, but once she got it, the bike roared to life again

“See. Not too hard, reyt?”

She shook her head, starting to get excited now.

“So, now that the engine is runnin’, weh’re gonna shift into first gear, but keep yehr feet on the ground, and _slowly_ ease the clutch lever out until the motorcycle moves forward. It’s gonna ‘appen quick, so once the bike begins to move, raise yehr feet and continuing easin’ up on the clutch, applyin’ the throttle to give the engine enough fuel not to stall. How’s that? Make sense?”

“Um, yes. Yeah. Good.”

“Yeah? Yeh gotta beh confident,” He warned her, trying to ease her nervousness, “the bike will listen to yeh, I promise. And I’ll be reyt ‘ere with yeh the whole time. Assuming yeh’re not gonna gun it and kick meh off.”

She laughed, “I won’t. I promise.”

“Alreyt then… yeh readeh?”

She nodded, and he helped her go through all the motions until the motorcycle began to creep forward, and they began applying the throttle. Alex kept his hands on hers the whole time until they really began moving forward, then he let her go, and sat back, holding her waist. He shouted instructions to her the entire time, and she picked everything up with ease. 

Maura felt like she was embodying someone else; like she was charming the bike to do as she asked. With Alex giving her all the instructions, she felt confident; adrenaline pulsing through her veins. The road was empty and clear like it had been on their first pass through; just a straight shot with no obstructions to throw her off.

Alex sat back, barely having to do much at all. She was unbelievably good for her first time, almost like she instinctually knew what to do before Alex even told her. When she picked up a little more speed, Alex catcalled her, and she laughed, hooting and hollering right along with him. The wind whipped her face, and she decided that _this_ was actually the closest she’d ever been to flying.

In a matter of minutes, they were coming to the end of the stretch and Alex wrapped himself around her again to help her bring the bike to a stop and shut it down. When they’d slowed and it was off, she let out another cry of excitement. 

Alex was so incredibly proud of her, his heart nearly bursting with all the love he had for this incredibly cool woman he had the pleasure of spending nearly all his days with now. He slid off the back of the bike, feeling her do the same behind him. He tugged his helmet off, and tossed it to the ground, turning back to her as she struggled with her own helmet. He placed his hands over hers, and she let her hands fall as he unfastened the strap while he told her how proud of her he was.

“Yeh’re amazin’, yeh know that? Yeh did it! All on yehr own, love!” He gently pulled the helmet off her head, her messy, sweaty hair all over the place. 

Alex stepped closer to her, running his fingers through her wavy locks, sorting it out and slowly tucking it behind her ears several times over. “I’m so proud of you,” He murmured, continuing to smooth her hair, his fingers slowing to a stop as he cupped her cheeks in his hands.

Maura felt electric; her entire body buzzing from the thrill of it all. And as if driving the motorcycle wasn’t enough; here she was, eyes locked and tangled up with Alex on the side of a dirt road in the middle of the Yorkshire countryside. 

“I can’t take all the credit, you’re a really good teacher… Mr. Turner,” She grinned at him and he smirked at her, his thumbs stroking her warm pink cheeks. Her heart was pounding so loud, she could hear it in her ears. And when she felt Alex step into her space just a bit more, and his thumb caress her bottom lip, she thought she was going to combust.

Alex held her gaze for a few seconds longer, getting lost in those caramel-colored eyes of hers, framed by her thick, dark lashes. Her freckled nose made her look so much younger than thirty-two; and the bright pink in her cheeks made Alex’s heart melt. He knew in that very instant that he was done for. 

Closing the last, tiniest bit of space between them, he licked his lips and pressed his mouth to hers, thinking: _finally._

_//_

_Mmm… finally._

Maura sighed against his mouth, parting her lips so he could kiss her properly; much deeper than any first kiss ought to be. She placed her hands on his chest, grabbing a bit of his shirt to get him closer to her. They both smiled into the kiss at that, teeth knocking just a bit as her arms wound around his neck. His shirt was damp with sweat, and he smelled so _good_ , but he tasted even better. Mint and cloves. And a little bit of coffee. With the softest lips she’d ever had the pleasure of kissing. 

Alex moaned, his hands at the small of her back, holding her tight against him. He planted soft little kisses all over her lips and cheeks and even her nose. Maura giggled, the touch of Alex’s lips igniting a fire in the pit of her stomach. She nipped at him playfully and he gathered her up into his arms to bury his face in the crook of her neck. He swung her around, hugging her so tight, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

“Miss Maura Vaughn,” Alex began, his voice barely loud enough to be considered a whisper, “I’m madly in love with yeh; ‘ave been since the moment I saw yeh.”

Maura closed her eyes, burying her face in Alex’s neck now, the two of them completely entwined. “I’m a complete mess over you, Alex” She whispered back, kissing his neck over and over and over again, willing this moment to never ever end.

After weeks of flirting and tension and almost first kisses; they finally had what they both longed for. Silly and stupid and drunk with love, they sat beside one another on the side of the deserted dirt road. The sun was hot and high in the clear blue sky, and the grass was cool beneath them. 

And Alex couldn’t keep his hands to himself. 

“Yeh’re beautiful, yeh know that?” Alex whispered in her ear before he kissed her again. 

And again.

He held her hands and traced patterns on her legs, tucking her hair back every few minutes because he’d always felt such an incredible urge to do so. 

“Alex…” She giggled, placing her hands on his waist to keep him from knocking her over in his eagerness. Giggling seemed to be her new response to nearly everything he said to her. She knew she must’ve sounded like an immature idiot, but she couldn’t help it; she was completely smitten with him; and it’d been a long time since any man had given her this much affection.

“Sorry, love,” He murmured, and judging by the smirk on his face, she was almost positive that he wasn’t really all that sorry. He backed off of her a little, but still stayed close enough to be touching, “I’ve been… this has…” He sighed and laughed, a bit frustrated at his inability to form proper sentences, “I’ve been waiting a long time to kiss yeh, that’s all.”

Maura smiled at him, and reached for his hand to lace her fingers with his, “I know, me too.”

“Have yeh, realeh?” Alex looked down at her with those soulful doe eyes, a warm chocolate brown in the high sun of the afternoon.

“I hope that’s not a serious question,” She squeezed his hand, “you honestly couldn’t tell how much I was into you?”

He shrugged, “I always hoped it was completely mutual, but sometimes I’m terrible at reading signs, I dunno.”

“Don’t be such a dork… I’ve been crazy about you since orientation day when you walked me around the school. I remember going home that night and trying to talk myself out of falling too hard for you. And also that you were too gorgeous to be single.” She elbowed him and he smiled.

“I’m realeh glad yeh didn’t talk yourself out of meh.”

“It was virtually impossible. I just wanted to be around you all the time.”

“Same ‘ere. I dreamt about yeh nearly every night.”

She could feel her cheeks turning pink, and Alex stroked her cheek, ducking in for another kiss. 

“I love it when yeh do that.”

Maura felt her cheeks burn even more, and she pressed her forehead into Alex’s shoulder. “I feel so silly,” Came her muffled reply, “Blushing and giggling at everything you say.”

“It’s not silly… it just means yeh’re _wildly_ attracted to meh.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, “This has been the perfect day.”

Alex looked up at the sky, taking stock in their current location, “And it’s only a little after noon,” He guessed, judging by the placement of the sun in the sky, “Weh still have the whole rest of the day to knock about. Are yeh ‘ungry?”

“I could eat,” She admitted, now resting her head on his shoulder.

Alex looked around, trying to decide which way to go, “Well, I bet weh could find a pub or summat somewhere out ‘ere… like at an inn…”

Maura’s throat suddenly felt very dry at the mention of a pub, and she swallowed hard. “Actually, an ice cold pint sounds really good right now.”

“And some chips,” Alex added, hoping they’d find a good place for both. “Alreyt then, it’s settled. Let’s get goin’.” He stood up, brushing the dirt off of his jeans, and held a hand out to Maura, helping her off the grass. “Do yeh wanna drive or should I?”

Maura bit her lip, shrugging, “I kinda wanna go again.”

His smile stretched across his face, “Alreyt, I don’t mind. Pretty soon yeh’ll beh a pro and ‘ave yehr own bike.”

“Ha!” She laughed, “Wouldn’t that be that something? Hey mom, hey dad; look what I came back from England with: my motorcycle license.”

Alex laughed easy enough, but in the back of his mind, he heard that nagging thought about how she’d be gone in a year after her teaching visa was up. It completely gutted him, but he’d never let her know it.

He reached for her helmet, dusting it off and helping her put it on again. “You sure you don’t mind if I drive?”

Alex shook his head, then tapped her nose again, “‘Course not, darlin’.” 

He let her get on the bike first again, situating herself before he climbed on, too. “You’re gonna walk me through it again, right?”

“Yes, but I wanna see if yeh remember anythin’…” 

“Oh God… okay, I’ll try…” 

And so they went through all the motions again; and even though Alex had to remind her of the order of a few steps, she still had it all down pretty well. He figured it was probably easier for her on a bike like his because it was a smaller model, and better fit both of their frames. Neither of them were very large in stature, so it was easier to control.

“Are you gonna hold on to me again?” Maura turned her head to ask him.

He laughed, “No, I’m just gonna hold me arms out to the sides like I’m on the front of the bloody Titanic.”

She growled, “Ugh… you’re such a jerk!”

He laughed again as he slid even closer to her, his fingers tickling back up her arms as they made their way to her shoulders and then rested comfortably on her hips. She shivered and he asked her if that was better.

 _Oh my god, I love him._ She glanced over her shoulder at him, “Much.” 

They took off and coasted through the country for several miles before spotting signs for an inn and brewery in another ten. It was a large stone structure; awfully medieval looking from the outside, and Maura imagined that princes and lords probably slept here at some point in history. There was a large mill off to the side which must’ve been added centuries later, but was designed to fit the look of the rest of the structure.

“Have you been here before?” Maura asked him as they sorted through their jackets grabbing their phones and wallets. 

He shook his head, “Never. Had no idea it even existed. It’s pretty cool though, eh?”

She nodded, “Yeah… there’s probably loads of history here…”

It was dark and cool inside, a welcome retreat from the hot sun that baked their shoulders and arms the whole way here. A young woman greeted them and escorted them to a table in what looked to be a large dining hall. She handed them menus and gestured towards their seemingly endless list of ales and stouts. It took them only seconds to decide on pints due to their ever-increasing thirst, and when they arrived in giant steins, the two of them burst out laughing.

“Oh my God, I feel like I’m in Game of Thrones!” Maura cried, dragging her cup across the large wooden table so she could attempt to pick it up.

“Seriously, this is ridiculous” Alex widened his eyes, and leaned forward to sip his beer, “I can’t even lift me glass, so I guess I’ll ‘ave to drink it like this…”

Maura couldn’t stop laughing, and she followed suit, at least until it was light enough to lift. “I’m gonna run to the loo real quick, okay?”

Alex nodded and started perusing the menu.

It took Maura a few moments to find it down the winding stone hallways, but once she’d pushed the large wooden door in, she was greeted with flaming wall sconces and gilded mirrors. “Where are we?” She marveled at the paintings and slipped into one of the cubicles. When she came out to wash her hands, she finally got a good look at herself in the mirror.

Her hair was so wavy it bordered on ringlet curls from the heat, and her cheeks were red and flushed, and all the freckles she barely saw anymore now that she was older, had come out to dot themselves across the bridge of her nose. She looked _good;_ so happy and full of life. The pale pink tank she’d chosen had been a good idea since it not only kept her arms cool and offered a bit of breeze through the armholes while they were riding, but it also looked beautiful against her now golden-colored skin. She realized she’d been in there for entirely too long, so she quickly washed her hands, splashed some cool water on her face and did her best to tame her hair.

She approached their table from the opposite side, and there was Alex looking so sweet, sitting there at the table studying the menu, his white t-shirt with the holes in the neck looking so soft and cozy against his sun kissed skin. She bit her lip, admiring the way it stretched across his back, and suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around him until he was holding her in the tightest of bear hugs. 

_What have I done to deserve him?_

“Back!” She announced, slipping into her seat across from him.

He looked up, his eyes hazy from staring at the words for entirely too long. He really needed his glasses for occasions like these, but he was always too stubborn to bring them along. Besides, where would they fit on his bike?

Alex smiled lazily at her, studying the color in her cheeks, and the droplets of water that still clung to the crevices in her neck and on her eyelashes. “God, yeh look so lovely,” He murmured and Maura tucked her hair behind her ears, willing herself to get used to all the compliments.

“Thank you,” She said softly, peeking up at him through her eyelashes. “Did you decide on anything while I was gone?”

“Erm, everything?” He chuckled, his stomach rumbling not realizing how long ago it was that he’d actually eaten breakfast. “I’ll probably get fish and chips though, of course.”

“I want that, too.”

“How do yeh know? Yeh never even looked at the menu!”

“Because I’ve never _had_ fish and chips in England before. And here I am in the Yorkshire countryside, in this Game of Thrones-style castle, having a pint of beer in a _stein_ that I can barely lift… so I figure, why not now?”

He grinned, “Makes sense.” He went to stand up, “If the waitress comes, just order for meh, too. I’ll be reyt back.” He started to walk away, but turned back a second, “I can’t believe yeh ‘aven’t ‘ad fish and chips ‘ere yet…”

Grinning, he winked at her and then headed off down the hallway to the restrooms. The second he was behind closed doors, Alex threw his hands up in the air, his head falling back, eyes closed. He had no idea today was going to turn out the way it had, but so far, it had exceeded every single one of his expectations. They hadn’t officially talked about anything at all really, but Maura was _his_ , there was no doubt about it. And he was hers of course; he belonged to her through and through. He was getting very ahead of himself, but he didn’t care. 

Alex stared at his reflection for a good long moment, and pulled out his comb to quickly fix his hair. It was a mess from the helmet, but he always carried his comb on him. He thought about Maura’s hair, and how perfectly disheveled it looked. 

_She’s everything._

“God… I’ve fuckin’ kissed ‘er. It _actually_ happened.” He whispered to his reflection, leaning on the counter. He pointed at himself and then rolled his eyes. He actually embarrassed his own self sometimes.

When he got back to the table, she informed him that she put their orders in, and also that she was probably going to order another pint.

“Well then, no more driving for you,” He teased and then admitted he also wanted another. _If weh get too drunk then weh could always stay ‘ere for the night. This_ is _an Inn after all._

Maura leaned on her hands, smiling happily at him. _Let’s get really drunk and get a room. We can make out all night long. Make out? Seriously? I hope you do more than that…_

“Will you tell me a story?” She asked him as they waited for their food to arrive. 

“A story about what?” He asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand after taking a sip of beer.

“I don’t know. Anything. About you. About your life. Your friends. Growing up. I wanna know everything about you.” 

“Hmm…” He sat back, trying to think of something good to tell her, and all that came to mind was a bunch of silly little things from back when he was a teenager, when they were trying to become a band.

Maura loved it. She loved hearing all of it. But most of all, she loved hearing him talk. The way he told stories and the words he chose to describe the things he was talking about were mesmerizing. He was so smart, and his sense of humor was very clever. That one little aspect of his personality alone turned her on. 

“Did your parents hate that you were in a band?” She asked him after he told her about where they used to rehearse.

“Well, I think me mum was a bit worried about how I was behavin’ in school to begin with, so when I told her I wanted to start a band, I think she thought, ‘well, fuck, he’s gonna throw away his entire education’,” He chuckled, “But I didn’t. Even though I was a bit dreamy in school, I still did my work. And then of course, I wrote for the band. They were proud whether they wanted to admit it or not. They’d had me taking piano lessons until I was eight as it was, so they always appreciated music.”

“But they’re probably very happy that you’re a teacher now, like them. Right?”

“Oh sure… me mum is ecstatic. She loves that I work at the same school as they did. I’m sure it helped when I got the job that they just so happened to have worked there as well, but I guess I can’t complain about that particular hook up.” He smiled fondly, picking at a knot in the wood table. “What about you, though? Y’aven’t realeh told meh much about yehr life back home. Do yeh live alone? Do yeh ‘ave pets? A boyfriend waitin’ for yeh when yeh get back?”

“No…” She scoffed, rolling her eyes, “there’s no guy in the picture. Hasn’t been in like, three years. Yeh’re the only guy in my life right now.”

“Fookin’ reyt.” 

She giggled, “Hmm… well, I lived with my best friend for a while, even when I was dating my last boyfriend. We didn’t live together. I wasn’t ready for that. I liked being alone. Liked my independence. But when I left, she moved in with her boyfriend, so when I go back, I’m pretty much homeless.” 

Alex pretended he didn’t hear that bit. About her going back.

She grinned, leaning on her hand, “I don’t have any pets. We have family dogs though. They’re the loves of my life. My younger brother is married, and they already have two kids. So I’m an aunt. But God bless them. They’re a handful.”

“‘ow much younger?” 

“Four years. He’s twenty-nine. Always seemed to have his shit together, more so than the rest of us. And my youngest siblings, the twins, don’t live in New Hampshire. One’s in Washington state, and the other is in Texas. So we all haven’t been together in a very long time. I miss them, I honestly do.”

The look in her eyes made Alex want to reach out and grab her hand. He couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to have siblings, being an only child himself, but he knew it must hurt her to be away from them for so long. 

“Are you lot close, then?”

She nodded, “Yeah. Very. My parents raised us pretty well.”

“What are yehr parents like?”

“They’re fun. Like, cool parents. They love each other _so_ much it’s like actual goals.” She laughed, “They’ve been together since they were like sixteen I think. I think they were honestly made for each other. They’re artists.”

Their food arrived just then, piping hot. 

“I want another pint. You want another, Maura?” Alex asked her, and the waitress left to get them two more. “Weh’re gonna be soused after this.” He chuckled, and they took a moment to taste the food and gush over how good it was before getting back to her parents.

“So what kind of art do they do? Are they good?”

She laughed, munching on a chip, “Yeah, they’re good. They do these giant installations and stuff. There’s a bunch all over Portsmouth and the rest of New Hampshire. I guess they’re kind of like local celebrities. They’re a bit eccentric, and I have to admit, I love that about them. They love music, too. They’ve always got records playing in the house, sometimes multiple turntables going all at once.”

“They sound awesome.” Alex had drawn up a picture in his head of what they looked like, and it made him smile. They probably looked like the exact opposite of his folks.

“They are. I miss them so much. I haven’t talked to them in a few days. Technology isn’t their forte to be honest.” And as if on queue, Maura’s phone started ringing. “Holy shit, it’s my parents. Oh my _god_ , they’re facetiming me.”

“Answer it!” Alex laughed, chewing on a bit of the tastiest beer battered fish he’d had in a long time. 

“Should I?”

“Yes! Y’aven’t talked to them in days!”

“Eh… okay…” She accepted the call, and waited for them to connect. 

“Maura!” They both shouted at full volume and she covered her face, laughing while she simultaneously turned down the volume. “How are you love bunny?”

Alex couldn’t stop the smile on his face when he heard their nickname for her. It was so fitting, too… her little bunny nose and all that love and warmth she radiated. 

“Hi guys!” She waved at them, “I was just talking about you, were your ears ringing?”

“I think mine were… or that could’ve been from the music your father was making with his friends this afternoon. Their “band”.” Her mother rolled her eyes.

_Shit, I forgot to mention that my dad plays guitar in his weird little side project._

“Where are you, and who were you talking about us to?” She asked, and Maura looked at Alex expectantly, like, ‘do you wanna be a part of this?’

“Um… I’m just at this pub in the country eating fish and chips with my… with Alex.” Maura tired to explain and made an apologetic face at Alex. _What the fuck do I call us? What_ are _we?_

“Well, does this Alex have a face?” She asked and Maura angled the camera so they could see the both of them. “Oh!” She exclaimed, getting a good look at him, “Honey, he’s really good looking!”

“And he can _really_ hear you,” Maura blushed, covering her face at her mom’s complete disregard for _anything_.

Alex grinned and waved at them, “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn. I’m Alex.” 

“Hi Alex!” They waved back, “I like the way you say your name, slow like “Alix’.” 

He laughed, “Thanks.”

“Are you on a date?”

“MOM!” Maura exclaimed and then just laid her head on her arm on the table, her face flaming hot. Alex took the phone from her and kept holding it up.

“Oh, Maura, knock it off. You’re a grown woman, who cares?”

“Weh’re… _kind of_ on a date, Mrs. Vaughn.”

“It’s Ginger. And how can someone be on ‘kind of’ a date? What does that even mean? I don’t understand you kids these days. If you like someone, you like them. If you don’t, you don’t.”

Alex’s eyes widened at ‘Ginger’s’ forwardness; completely taken aback because Maura was absolutely _nothing_ like her. “Well then, if that’s the case, then _yes,_ Ginger. Weh’re on a date.”

Maura lifted her head and looked at him. He shrugged.

“Alright… so what’s the status like? Have you guys made out yet, or what?” Ginger asked them and Maura snatched the phone back from Alex. 

“ _Okay_ … that’s enough,” She chuckled nervously, “you need to cool it.”

“Love bunny, lighten up. He’s adorable, and you’re a knock out. You should be making out. You should be doing _lots_ of things, but that’s-”

“I _will_ hang up on you guys right now…” Maura warned, now completely and totally embarrassed.

“Well, if you’re on a date, we won’t keep you too much longer anyways.” Her dad interrupted, “We just wanted to check in and make sure you’re doing okay. And to tell you that we love you and miss you.”

“I love you guys, too. And I miss you like crazy.”

“How’s work?”

“Fun. Really, really fun. I love it.” She glanced at Alex and he winked at her again, devouring his chips while still listening intently to their conversation. Her parents were a trip.

“That’s fantastic! Is Alex a teacher, too?” Her sweet dad knew all the questions to ask.

“He is, actually. He teaches Literature. He’s very smart. He’s a musician, too, dad.”

“Was!” Alex called out.

“He still is. Even though his band didn’t work out.”

“If you were born with it Alex, no one can take that away from you.”

Maura gave him a look that said, ‘see, I told yeh so.’

“That’s what I said!”

“Alright, we’ll let you go now… have fun and _be_ safe. We love you.”

“I love you guys, too. Thanks for checking in. I’ll talk to you later.” Maura blew them a kiss and then ended the call, placing her phone down and giving Alex another look.

“Your parents are… interesting.” He grinned and she growled, shoving a handful of fries into her mouth.

“You’re the one who told me to take the call!”

“Yehr mum’s a trip. I like her.” 

“Isn’t she just.” She stabbed at her fish and cut a huge piece before deciding against it and cut it smaller. “I’m sorry she’s so…”

“Don’t apologize for yehr parents. Yeh’re not responsible for them.” 

“I know… it’s just… she said all that stuff…”

“I don’t _mind,_ Maura. She didn’t say anything that weren’t true.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin, “I _am_ adorable and you _are_ a knockout…”

She blushed again and lifted her napkin to hide her face. 

Alex laughed, “I ‘ave to say, that you two are nothing alike.”

“I _know_ … I’m more like my dad.” She grumbled.

“Yes, I can see that. ‘ow come yeh didn’t tell meh he was in a band?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know. I forgot I guess. But maybe that’s why I’m so infatuated with you being a musician.”

Alex nudged her knee with his, “I like them. I _really_ like you. And we _should_ be making out reyt now.” He smirked at her conspiratorially, and she grinned, “So let’s finish up and hightail it outta ‘ere so I can take yeh some where and kiss yeh for hours.”

Her face couldn’t possibly get anymore red, but it still felt hot anyways. “Deal.”

//

“Alex…” Maura sighed, her fingers buried in the hair at the nape of his neck. 

She was trapped between his body and the cool green grass that covered the shady spot where they were currently lying. They hadn’t started out this way of course.

After lunch (and dessert that Alex insisted they share), they headed back into the countryside letting Maura give it another go. Alex let her go faster this time, only helping her when she came to a stop. They sat there idling for a moment until his hands fell to her thighs, sliding back up to her waist and Maura yanked her helmet off immediately tossing it to the ground. Alex followed suit, and she turned in his arms to kiss him, breathless and buzzing with adrenaline. 

Abandoning the bike by the road, they moved to the shade beneath a giant tree with low-hanging branches. The cool breeze picked up the sound of Maura’s giggles, and carried them across the farm as they made out in the grass of an Indian summer afternoon. 

With his eyes closed, and his nose pressed against her temple, Alex breathed Maura in; the scent of her sun kissed skin mixed with the smell of the earth beneath them completely intoxicating.

“Mmm… yes, love?” He whispered, his hand resting gently on her hip, as he lay over her, his leg between hers.

She placed her hand on his cheek, and he lifted his head, her other hand coming up to cup the other side. She searched his face and his warm, chocolate brown eyes for a very long moment and then smiled like she had a secret at the corner of her lips, “Nothing.”

Raising his eyebrow, he gave her a gentle peck on the lips, “Just nothin’?”

“I just wanted to say your name.” She admitted quietly, raking her fingers through the hair above his ears, taking note of all the little things about his features that she loved. 

She loved his perfectly angular nose and the furrow in his brow when he was thinking. So serious. She loved his cheekbones and the fact that he managed to have a bit of a double chin even though his jaw was so sharp and cutting. And she loved the way he held her close to him, even now, in the strange unknown of whatever it was they were becoming.

“Hmm… are yeh sure that’s all?” He murmured, his fingers coasting up and down her side, squeezing her hip. Her skin was sticky with sweat and her shirt damp from the way their bodies were pressed together. 

“I’m sure.” She whispered, and a cool breeze rolled through and ruffled the edges of their shirts. It was a welcome relief from the heat of the blazing hot sun; feeling more like England as evening grew close. 

“I am so happy I’m here with you,” She confessed, her fingers curling under the collar of his t-shirt, feeling the pulse in his neck. “I wish we could stay right here and never leave.”

Alex sunk his fingers into the warmth of her back and pulled her even closer to him somehow. “I wish weh could, too.” 

He loved the way the wind made her hair dance across her face, sticking to her flushed cheeks. The sun turned her eyes the prettiest shade of honeyed gold he’d ever seen, and he knew right then that he’d follow her anywhere. 

_Falling hard and fast as usual, Alex._

But this time felt different. 

“I’d like to kiss those lips of yehrs until I know ‘em by ‘eart…” He breathed, his voice soft and gentle and sweet. 

Maura’s heart swelled, wondering if he was too good to be true. “You. Are not real. I’m sure of it. Men don’t go around saying things like that to women these… mmm… days… mmm…” Before she could finish, Alex was kissing her again. 

“They should,” He murmured, “I could write a thousand things about yehr lips.”

Maura couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. She had no idea that today would find her here. With Alex saying such sweet and honest things to her. She made like she was going to kiss him, but pressed her hands against his chest pushing him off her so he was flat on his back in the grass. He laughed, watching her as she swung her leg over his hips and sat on his stomach. 

Alex folded one arm behind his head, his other hand fingering the edge of her pale pink shirt. Another breeze blew through the trees, ruffling the leaves and tousling Maura’s curls. He loved the way sun lit her up from behind, how he could just make out her features beneath the shade of the swaying branches. She rested her hands on either side of his head, leaning in to kiss his lips for real this time and then his chin where the tiniest bit of stubble tickled her.

“I like yeh, Maura,” He told her, “I like yeh so much I can’t stand not bein’ around yeh. Feels sorta like I knew yeh before I even met yeh. I want to ‘ang out with yeh and learn everythin’ about yeh…” He took a deep breath, peering up at her with those gigantic coffee-colored doe eyes. 

“I was mad at myself for liking you too quickly.” She admitted, the secret little smile on her lips. “I haven’t been here long, and I thought maybe it was silly to be falling for someone so soon, like the typical cliche, but I can’t help it. I gravitate towards you without even knowing I’m doing it. I think I fell for you the second you walked into that library.”

He chuckled, recalling that afternoon and how he’d strode in late knowing full well he’d never get reprimanded for it. “Same.”

She smiled, lighting up her whole face. “I can’t hide how much I like you anymore, because I _do_ very much,” She giggled, “but I don’t want to jump head first into whatever this is… because…”

“I want to savor it,” Alex finished for her, “not that yeh’re some kind of dish to be devoured or summat, but, I don’t want to get so caught up in the process of becoming a _thing_ that weh lose sight of the best parts of falling for each other. The early stages….”

It seemed rather contradictory, the way they were folded on one another; her sitting comfortably on his stomach, and him beneath her, leaning up so their faces were practically touching, as if they’d been together for ages. 

“Yet here we are,” Maura murmured, surprised at how she’d allowed herself to be so carefree with Alex. 

“Kissin’ beneath trees like teenagers,” Alex agreed, finding no harm in what they were doing.

They both giggled, and she sat back, running her fingers through her hair. “ _Are_ we moving too fast?”

“Maura.” Alex stated seriously, his eyes twinkling. “If weh moved any slower, weh’d be goin’ backwards.”

“Oh my god…” She laughed, covering her face with her hands. “You’re right, I know.”

“Fuck it. I just wanna take yeh out and kiss yeh everywhere and spend a ridiculous amount of time together.”

“Okay,” She grinned, letting Alex pull her down until she was practically lying on top of him, “yes to all of that.” 

“Good.” He murmured, kissing her just beneath her ear. “Because I’m well and truly yours, love. Yeh’ve got meh.”

//

It was just about eight o’clock when Alex pulled his bike up to the curb out front of Maura’s apartment. She preferred to have him drive her home after spending the afternoon kissing lazily in the grass. She told him she was too tired to drive, but in all honesty; she wanted to wrap her arms around him and let him whisk her away.

“I’m walkin’ yeh up.” Alex announced once he’d helped her with her helmet once again. “And if this motorcycle thing is going to be happening regularly, I’m gun’ teh get yeh a ‘elmet that fits yeh.”

She grinned and took his hand when he offered it to her. They’d walked this path once before; on the night after the bar. But Maura had been quite drunk then, and had skipped ahead of Alex. Tonight, she was content with taking their time. 

Her little flat was at the very top of an old brick townhouse; like a cookie cutter of the rest of the buildings on the street. All of them so cute and homey with their flower boxes and vintage fire escapes. It looked as if time had stood still on her street, and she loved how they seemed to compliment one another so well. 

They didn’t say much as they they climbed the old staircase; but the tension in the air was thick, and it wasn’t because the heat was threatening to smoke them out in the hallway. Alex’s boots shuffled as he stamped up the steps, and Maura’s tapped alongside his like a funny little rhythm. 

Her white wooden door was waiting for them at the top like a beacon after climbing three levels, and Maura jumped up the top step out of habit. Her hand still clasped firmly in Alex’s, he joined her on the landing, their arms outstretched until Alex advanced on her, boxing her in against the door.

The fire in his eyes made her gasp a little, and she giggled softly as he took her other hand and raised them both above her head, pinning her there. He nudged his nose against hers, silently asking her to lift her head and kiss him. She made like she was going to at first, but then pulled back to tease him.

He made a grunting sound, and took another step forward, pressing his hips flush against hers. It was the absolute closest they’d ever been, and Maura gasped audibly this time, completely melting now against the door.

Alex chuckled and took her lips with his, kissing her a bit more aggressively than he’d originally intended. There was something about the tiny space and the thought of having to say goodbye to her for the evening that made him a bit ravenous.

_Fuck. I know we agreed on taking things a bit slow, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want her to invite me in right now._

Maura moaned, pulling back and biting Alex’s lip. _What is he trying to do? Coerce me into inviting him inside right now? Because my willpower is pretty much nonexistent when he kisses like that._

“Alex.” Maura chuckled, trying (albeit very weakly) to get herself free from his hold. “You know we can’t do this tonight.”

Alex groaned, pressing his forehead against hers and lowering her arms to her sides. “I fuckin’ know it.” He mumbled, nuzzling his nose against hers again. “It’s okay… I don’t even _want_ to come inside.”

She pulled back, raising her eyebrow with a look that was dying to ask him if he was serious.

“I’m actually lying,” He laughed, “because I wanna come inside so fucking bad.”

With her hands still tightly entwined with his, she wrapped them around his back and let go, sliding her hands inside the back of his t-shirt to press her fingers into him. “Mr. Turner, I don’t know if you’re aware of how incredibly dirty that sounds.”

He smirked at both the way she decided _now_ to call him ‘Mr. Turner’, and at the innuendo he was well aware of making. He lifted his hands to either side of her head, and pressed his hips a little harder against hers, her butt squished against the door. “I’m aware,” He said darkly, his accent thick.

Her mouth fell open in surprise and he took the opportunity to kiss her deeply, feeling her body melt beneath him.

“What are you trying to do to me?” She whispered when he finally let her breathe.

“I’m trying to give yeh some dirty material for extra good dreams tonight,” His deep voice sending chills down her spine.

“More like _wet_ dreams,” She whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

“Miss _Vaughn…”_ Alex moaned, winding his arms around her waist and hugging her close. “You _never_ talk like that.” He could feel her face getting warm when she buried it against his neck. 

Her breath tickled his neck when she exhaled, “I know!” And proceeded to giggle nervously.

He kissed her cheek, “I _like_ it.”

They stood there on the landing wrapped in one another’s arms for what seemed like forever.

“Alex, we’ve got school in the morning.”

“Fuck school.” Came his muffled reply, and the two of them laughed for a second then grew quiet again. “What am I gonna do for eight hours of the day, possibly more, when I can’t touch yeh, or kiss yeh, or stare longingly into yehr eyes?”

“You can stare longingly at me from afar, and that’s kind of the same thing.” She giggled, but realized that it was indeed going to be hard working (or _not_ working) with him all day.

He sighed heavily, “That sounds so depressing.”

“We’ll work around it.” Maura assured him, already imagining all the possibilities. 

They said their goodbyes, Maura instructing him to text her the moment he got home. Now she had someone to worry and care about here. 

“I loved today,” Alex admitted, kissing her once more before it was seriously time to leave her.

“My favorite day so far.” 

He grinned, “Goodnight, Maura,” and he pressed his lips to her forehead before disappearing down the stairs.

Maura sighed happily, and let herself inside so she could rush to the window and watch him leave. The little outline of his body was so cute as he strapped her helmet to the bike and put on his own. She felt the rush in the pit of her stomach when he revved the engine, her memory drawing up the feeling of the bike between her legs. Alex looked up and blew her a kiss before slipping away into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re picking up right where we left off, the Monday directly after the bike ride into the countryside. I won’t give too much away about this next chapter. I will tell you that it’s very late/early here for me, but I wanted you guys to have this part. I made ya wait long enough. There’s a part that might seem a little weird… I don’t know. I went with it hahaha. It’s a long one though. So get settled in. You saw the rating. You probably have an idea of what to expect. 
> 
> Thank you again for all the comments about this story and the previous chapters. It really does mean the world to me. 
> 
> Enjoy xx 
> 
> p.s. I am already sweating. Feeling the pressure 😳

Alex had spaced out approximately three times before lunch. All three during his lectures. Maura had been waiting for him that morning, looking sweeter than ever. His eyes traveled up the length of her legs as he pulled in; the parking lot nearly vacant as usual when he cut the engine and asked her just how was he supposed to concentrate all day. To which she responded with a casual shrug of her shoulders and flushed cheeks.

“I’ve got summat for ya… c’mere…” Alex beckoned her over and she quickly glanced around before skipping off the curb and approaching the side of Alex’s bike. She was holding the book she was reading in her hand, her bag over her shoulder. He cast a sideways glance and slid his hand around her wrist, lifting the hand holding the book, hiding them like a protective shield. Eyebrow arching, he licked his lips and beckoned her close for a kiss. It should’ve been chaste and quick, but it was long and lingering, Maura’s nose wrinkling when his brushed against hers. 

“Good mornin’ Miss Vaughn.”

“Mmm… morning.” She sighed dreamily pulling away just slightly.

“Wait…” He murmured, his voice still thick with sleep. “One more…” he squeezed her wrist tighter and kissed her longer and slower this time. “Today is gonna be rough.” 

//

He currently had a break between classes which should’ve been his lunch, but he was behind on some grading, so there was no hopes of sneaking away. Maura was the only thing on his mind. Her smile. Her lips. The way she tasted a little like strawberries, and how she managed to look so incredibly sexy in the most innocent way. All he wanted to do was spend every single moment he had with her, but work (which he was usually very passionate about) was a literal nuisance to him presently. He found himself reading and re-reading portions of his students’ work; his distracted mind prolonging the daunting task. 

“So focused you didn’t even hear me knock.”

Startled, Alex looked up to see Maura standing just inside the doorway of his classroom. She had her hands behind her back, and the cutest little grin on her face. Her brown suede mini-dress was belted at the waist, those legs he loved so much concealed by black tights and her cute little heeled loafers. She was absolutely fucking perfect.

“Oh my God, love….” he laughed, standing up and stretching. Maura’s face flushed again when she caught the thinnest strip of his belly when his shirt crept up. Shaking her head, she headed to the far wall with all the artwork, just out of view of the glass-windowed door.

Alex trailed close behind her, catching on to what she was doing, and reached for her hip as she backed herself up against the wall. He glanced around the corner towards the door one more time before devoting all his attention to her and her alone. 

“Hi.” She chirped, her fingers grasping at the edge of his button down. 

“‘ello…” he hummed, searching her eyes before licking his lips and dipping in to press his mouth to hers. Maura moaned and it made Alex smile into the kiss. He had a feeling that eventually, he’d get her to make a lot more noise than that. 

It took every ounce of willpower Maura had inside her to not paw at his clothing, and run her fingers through his hair; instead she kept one hand behind her back, the other at his waist. He looked too gorgeous for words today. He always did. But today… his hair was messy and his eyes had a mischievous sparkle to them, even behind the glasses which he’d pushed up into his hair. The way his tongue moved, the way he tasted her, made her stomach flip, and she pressed her thighs tight together to dull the throbbing ache that was starting to build. She couldn’t be like this. Not at school. Not when she had a to teach a sea of students who noticed _everything_.

“Been thinkin’ about ya all mornin’…”

“Mmm… I believe I overheard that Professor Turner was a bit distracted today…” she teased, feeling his tongue licking at the corner of her lips. He paused, his breath tickling her cheek. 

“Wha-? From who?” He pulled back just slightly, his eyes a little wild.

Maura smirked, her eyebrow arching, and he pinched her hip. “Cheeky.”

Giggling, she let him kiss her a little more, her nose brushing against his again. She loved that it always got a little in the way. 

“Can’t stay for long… but I brought you something,” She lifted the hand from behind her back producing a little paper bag. “Lunch. You need to eat.”

Alex chuckled, turning his head only slightly so he could still touch her. “What about you?”

“I’ve got my own.”

“You made meh lunch?”

She nodded, wondering if that was too much.

“Well,” He whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth, “aren’t you…” another kiss, “just the cutest…” he smiled between kisses and she laughed, his fingers tickling her ribs at the side. 

“ _Alexxx_ … I have to go… class starts in a few, but… just wanted to make sure you had that.”

“Don’t leave meh,” he pouted, his forehead pressed to hers. 

“Have to.” 

He groaned over-dramatically and she laughed, fixing his shirt a little where she’d tugged on it, before slipping out from beneath him.

“Thank you for this.” He called to her, the deep cadence in his voice giving her the good kind of shivers.

The way she looked at him when she cast a look at him over her shoulder; her honey eyes peeking out from behind her bangs, nearly brought him to his knees. “You’re welcome.” She chirped sweetly, “See ya later, Mr. Turner.” 

She slipped out of his classroom, the door clicking shut behind her. Groaning again, he pressed his forehead to the wall and slumped against it in a crumbled heap. “Fucking torture.”

// 

The last thing Maura wanted to do that Monday evening was go home to her empty apartment. She climbed the stairs begrudgingly, lugging her things. 

Alex had after school tutoring tonight. 

And she had a meeting tomorrow. 

And then they both had things the following two days; so the only time they were able to get together this week was…

Friday.

“F R I D A Y.” Maura moaned when she reached the top of her stairs. “This is torture.”

She had work to do, it was true… but she didn’t want to do it. Grading papers was the very, very, very last thing she wanted to do. She would rather stick needles in her eyes. Drastic, but very accurate. Her mind was everywhere but on schoolwork. 

She stripped out of her clothes the minute she made it to her bedroom, locating her comfiest t-shirt and bottoms. Winding her hair up on her head, she headed to the tiny kitchen to figure out dinner. She hadn’t done any shopping. So eggs and toast it was.

Leaning against the counter, she bit her thumb, recounting the events of the day. They’d only been able to sneak away twice; once right before lunch and the second time just before his after school tutoring began. They were both too brief for either of their liking. 

“Call yeh later?” Alex growled against her ear, after a very quick and very feverish makeout session against the wall of her classroom. He’d come to find her this time, stealing her away for a few moments.

“ _Ugh_ ….” she groaned, hiding her face in her hands. “He’s going to be the death of me.”

The scrambled eggs she’d made were burning. “Fuck.” She slid them off the burner and began the whole process over again. She forced herself to focus this time, and then made a deal with herself: if she got through grading all of the essays she’d collected that afternoon, then she could spend the rest of the evening thinking about Alex. 

“Just get through the stack…” She murmured to herself, settling in at her desk. She’d made tea and organized all her papers by class, and by 8:45 she’d made it through nearly three quarters.

It was coming on nine pm when through the crack in the window, Maura heard familiar voices. “No…” She whispered to herself, “No, no, no…” Leaning back in her chair a little, she peeked outside to see the couple across the way just getting home. “No. Not tonight. Not now.”

But it was too late. 

It had already begun. 

Groaning, Maura looked out across the way again. There they were. The couple that had absolutely no shame whatsoever, disrobing in the dim light of their bedroom. 

“Couldn’t you just fuck in the kitchen tonight or something?” She whispered, unable to tear her eyes away. “Your bedroom just has to be facing my apartment.”

There was no hope for her now. She was already sexually frustrated, and they were making it worse. They never shut the blinds; never kept it down; just put their love life on display for the entire street.

 _This_ was the very last thing Maura needed that night.

//

Not having to stifle her moans when she came, Maura decided back when she’d first moved in, was the best part of living alone. 

She sunk down into her bed, her legs and arms like jelly, breathing heavily. The couple got to her. _Alex_ had gotten to her. So she took matters into her own hands and let herself fantasize about Alex Turner. She had a lot of ammunition lately to fuel her fantasies, so she let her imagination run wild. Not feeling the slightest bit guilty. She deserved it. Needed it after weeks of flirting with that gorgeous man.

She didn’t even feel guilty about getting turned-on by the couple across the way. Sure it was slightly voyeuristic, but if they thought for one second they were being discreet… then that was their own damn faults. It wasn’t the first time she’d listened in. Some nights when she was having trouble sleeping, she tried to guess what it was he was doing to her to make her scream like that. Other nights, she’d be reading or grading papers and she’d let her eyes wander over to the private show. 

Those were the kind of nights where she touched herself and thought of Alex. _If he only knew…_

She ran her hands through her hair, her temples a bit damp and the back of her neck sticky with sweat. _God that was good._ She mused, sighing contently and smiling as she wondered if Alex had ever done the same thing while thinking of her. _Of course he has._ She deiced when her phone vibrated beside her.

“Fuck.”

It was Alex.

Her breath was still shaky, not quite having the chance to catch it yet. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly after the fourth vibration and cleared her throat before answering. 

“H-hey.” She chirped with as much composure as she could muster. 

“‘ello, love,” Alex’s deep voice drawled and she covered her mouth to stop from moaning. She’d pictured all the dirty things he’d say to her while she touched herself and hearing it now, after _that_ was too much.

“‘ow’s yehr night? What ‘ave yeh gotten up to?”

“Well…um…” She began, trying to remember what it was she’d been doing before the couple across the way came home. 

_What the hell_ was _I doing before they started going at it? What’s that humming sound?_ She was a mess. Clothes half-off, sheets tangled, hair all over the place. _OH MY GOD!!_

“Papers! I was grading papers.” She nearly shouted, quite pleased that she remembered. “And dinner. I had that, too.”

Alex chuckled, noticing that she seemed a little off. “Y’alreyt, Maura? You seem a little… distracted.”

The humming continued and Maura squirmed on the bed, trying to figure out…

“Umm…” She chewed her lip, trying to answer in such a way that wouldn’t rat her out. The humming sound grew louder as she shifted and she patted down the bed, wrapping her hand around her vibrator.

 _“Oh my GOD!”_ She mouthed into her dark and empty room, her face turning a thousands shades more red than it already was. _Never fully shut the stupid thing off._

“Maura…?” Alex called her name again hearing her shuffling around on the opposite end of the line. He’d just arrived home and he was exhausted. He didn’t even care if he had dinner or not, all he wanted was his bed. 

“I am. Distracted. I’m sorry. It’s been… an interesting night.” She waffled through an excuse, wondering if he’d caught on to anything. “How did the tutoring go?”

_Deflection. Yes. That’s it. Focus the convo on him._

Alex kicked off his boots, “It were alreyt. Same as usual. I’m fuckin’ exhausted.” He put her on speaker phone then tossed her onto the bed. He undid the buttons on his shirt, dropping it to the floor.

“You should sleep then.” She mused, hearing her voice echoing slightly. He must’ve had her on speaker. 

“I know…” He chuckled, fiddling with his belt buckle, not even bothering to slide it from the loops in his jeans, he just unzipped them and let them fall to the floor with a clang. 

“What was that?” She bit her lip, knowing full well it was the sound of his belt hitting the floor. Closing her eyes; she pictured him getting undressed. The details of his room were still muddy for her, having not yet seen it, but she pictured the stacks of books; a little scattered and disorganized…

“Erm…” He paused in the middle of getting his pants off, “… my. Pants. My belt. Forgot I had yeh on speaker.”

“Oh…” Maura giggled, relieved that she was now off the hook and she could tease him a little for once. “Never had the pleasure of an over-the-phone striptease.”

Alex snorted, running his hand through his unruly hair. “Sorreh it weren’t sexier.”

Maura squirmed around on her bed again; there wasn’t much more she could handle tonight. 

“Tell meh what yeh’re thinkin’ Miss Vaughn…” Maura could hear the mischief in his voice, and she figured, what did she have to lose?

“It’s really hard to tell over the phone. The level of sexiness.” 

Alex grinned, “Well, I can assure you… it weren’t me best _disrobing_. I could do betteh.” 

And before she could stop herself, she said, “I can’t wait to see it.”

“What was that Miss Vaughn?” Alex chuckled, leaning on his bed, hovering over the phone. 

“You heard me.” She blurted before realizing she needed to quit while she was ahead. “I should probably get some sleep.”

“Gonna leave meh ‘angin’?”

“Yup. Good night, Alex. See you in the morning.”

“Looking forward to it.” Alex drawled, “Sweet dreams, love.”

//

“Am I going to see you at all today?” Alex murmured against her neck the very next morning, his arms wound around her waist inside her navy sailor coat.

Maura scratched her fingernails through the hair at the back of his neck, angling herself so he could kiss more of her. “Hopefully,” she sighed, her knee bending slightly as he pressed himself against her. “Mmm… how dare you show up today looking like this…”

Alex had pulled up on his bike that morning in perfectly worn in black denim and a black v-neck sweater, his hair falling into his eyes when he pulled off the silver helmet. He looked a little sleepy, his lips a bit swollen as they sometimes were. 

Maura couldn’t _wait_ to kiss them.

Alex chuckled, squeezing her tighter. She smelled so good and she felt so warm and toasty, he was dreading having to leave her in a few. “Didn’t know yeh’d like it so much.” He was referring to the sweater and the way he’d pushed the sleeves up, stopping her dead in her tracks when she approached his bike earlier. 

“With your glasses. Oh god…” she moaned clutching him tighter to her, and then shrieking when he grabbed her ass. 

“Yeh’ve just got naughty teacher fantasies, dontcha Miss Vaughn?”

“Like you don’t?”

“Oh, I most definitely do.” Alex grabbed her chin and kissed her long and slow, “One of these days I’m gonna make yeh stay after class.”

“What? And teach me a lesson?”

“Exactly.” He drawled with a smirk, stealing a few more kisses before they realized how late it had gotten.

Maura’s heels clicked alongside Alex’s boots as they headed to their respective classrooms. Her mind was racing with all the dirty thoughts she’d conjured up the night before, and she felt the flush creep up her neck. She pressed the back of her knuckles to her cheek, feeling how red she’d gone.

Alex noticed.

“What’re yeh thinkin’ about, Maura?” He hummed, nudging her slightly. They did their best to not touch each other when they were in the public parts of the school together, but it was incredibly difficult. And it was only day two.

She shook her head, tucking her hair behind her ear. “One of those things I can’t tell you about right now.”

“Summat dirty, then…” He smirked, the arm that held his helmet swinging by his side as he loped along. 

She chewed her lip hard, unable to stop herself from smiling. _If he only knew what was going on in my head right now…_

They reached Alex’s classroom first as usual. “Better pay attention Miss Vaughn.” His fingers brushed against hers just enough to make her dizzy with electricity, “I’ll see yeh later, yeah?”

Maura nodded, his fingers stroking hers once more before leaving her with a wink.

//

**Alex: Saved you a seat**

Maura glanced down at her phone as she hurried to the auditorium for a teacher’s meeting. One of her students kept her after her last class with some questions about an upcoming assignment and she was late. Thankfully, Alex came to the rescue. 

It had already begun when she got there, and she slipped in through the doors as quiet as a church mouse; taking great care to hold the door so it didn’t make an obnoxiously loud sound when it clicked shut. She rolled her eyes, there were plenty of seats. 

It was an _auditorium_.

**Alex: Look to your left**

Glancing down the row, she spotted him near the opposite end, grouped with some of the other teachers from their wing, but enough seats away to technically be on his own. Maura tip-toed across the floor, making her way through the darker back portion of the room while Alex casually studied her every move 

She settled into the seat, crossing her legs and fixing her skirt when it rode up. 

“‘ey you.” He whispered, dropping his arm down onto the rest instead of using it to lean his head on. 

“Hi.” She breathed back, smiling brightly at him. “What did I miss?”

“Not much. Generic opening meeting stuff. Boring.”

“Alright, cool.” She sat back and caught her breath, having come from the opposite end of the school to get here. “Thanks for saving me a seat.” She grinned, turning to look at him.

“Just wanted to make sure you got one. Was fillin’ up fast.” He raised his eyebrow as she glanced around the vast auditorium with the hundreds of still empty and available seats.

“Thank god. I was worried.”

He winked at her, and they both turned their attention back to the front. It took less than five seconds for Alex to touch her. Maura sucked in her breath as his pinky finger tickled her thigh. She refused to look at him. She couldn’t. 

Her legs were bare, and they both felt the goosebumps prickle at her skin.

When Alex was sure absolutely no one was paying attention to them, he slid his palm over the top of her right thigh, tucking the tips of his fingers just under the hem of her sweet little skirt.

“ _Alex_ …” She hissed, making absolutely no moves to stop him.

He ran his tongue along his bottom lip and moved his hand in slow, deliberate circles, rubbing her thigh before sliding down to where they were crossed. Her skin was warm and so soft, and he decided to tuck his hand there between them instead.

He’d been thinking about her all day, how could he not? Friday was too far away. All he wanted was to put his hands on her. Touch her all over. Blow her mind.

“You’re going to get us in trouble.” She whispered to him, tilting her hips at the gentle touch of his hands.

_Fuck if I don’t know it._

“I like trouble.” He whispered back, squeezing her thigh and stroking her with his thumb. She growled low in her throat and Alex smirked, “Pay attention, Miss Vaughn.”

He left his hand there, just caressing her gently while they listened to another one of the teachers talk about upcoming events. It was dull. Monotonous. Neither of them were really paying attention, and Maura was forcing herself to not feel turned on by him. 

Not here. 

She still had a whole half a day to go.

 _But…_ The small voice in her head, and the devil on her shoulder wanted her to let go for once. To give in to temptation. She wanted to let him know that she could play, too. So she uncrossed her legs. 

Leaving them open just enough. 

An invitation. 

She could see Alex raise his eyebrows from the corner of her eye, and she did her best to keep her expression totally relaxed and calm. He didn’t move his hand. Not once. Not yet.

Leaning closer to him, she tugged at his shirt sleeve a little and he tilted his head to listen, not quite looking at her. “Last night, just before you called… I was thinking about you… and touching myself.”

She whispered it with as much confidence as she could muster; applauding herself for being so bold. It was _so_ unlike her. 

Maura could hear Alex swallow hard, and she felt his hand tighten it’s grip on the inside of her left thigh. She sat back in her seat, shifting her hips slightly, letting her knees fall a little further apart. Smirking, she awaited his next move. The ball was in his court. 

Still nothing.

Glancing around once more to see if anyone had noticed, she placed her right hand over his, feeling his fingers twitching. Slowly, she moved his hand further up her thigh, stopping when she reached just underneath the edge of her skirt. They were looking at each other now, his pupils blown wide, sparkling with excitement or nerves, she couldn’t tell. Maura licked her lips repeatedly, eyes fixated on his as she moved his hand beneath her skirt, the side of his pinky pressed up against the fabric of her panties. 

Alex shifted in his seat this time, totally caught off guard by Maura’s boldness. He’d definitely been bringing the cheekiness out in her lately, but this was more than he ever bargained for.

“Come on.” She breathed softly, the sweetness of her breath filling his senses, and he moved his pinky ever-so-slightly, pressing into her panties. “Mmm…” She hummed, angling her hips into his hand, in hopes that he’d give her just a little bit more. 

He placed his finger over his lips, warning her to not make any noise. But the way he was touching her made it virtually impossible. She was so wet for him, the fabric damp between her legs, and even the slightest touch from him was setting her entire body on fire. 

And then. 

His ring.

Rubbed against her just right.

She covered her mouth with her whole hand, suppressing the moans she so desperately wanted to let out, while rotating her hips just slightly into his hand.

What had she been thinking? Why did she assume she could play this game with him? 

_I am the biggest fucking idiot. But fuck me… he feels so… good…_

Maura moved his hand so that it was cupping her pussy entirely and Alex shifted in his seat again, his hand dropping to his lap and adjusting the front of his jeans. 

_What the fuck am I going to do now?_ Alex thought to himself, finding that he was in a situation that was much harder to disguise than hers. 

Alex curled his fingers, the middle one pressing against her clit. 

Maura bit her hand. 

Alex did it again.

She grabbed his wrist, stopping him. She couldn’t let him go any further, not here, it was already way to risky.

He beckoned her to lean closer to him, and when she did, he pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, “Can’t wait ’til I get to make you cum, babeh.”

Maura gasped, hiding her face as Alex discreetly moved his hand from between her thighs. And in just enough time, too. They were nearly wrapping up.

The pair of them sat there in a _very_ uncomfortable silence, unmoving in the thick sexual tension between them as everyone in the auditorium filed out around them.

Alex’s hand was covering his face when he murmured, “I can’t believe…”

Maura squeezed her thighs tight together, trying to relieve some of the throbbing with pressure. “I…” She whispered, “… I don’t know…”

“What’s come over yeh?” He teased, that stupid, sexy smirk on his lips. Maura’s eyes flickered to the Death Ramps ring on his pinky and she swallowed hard. _Fuck._

“I think you know.”

“Me.” 

“Ugh.” She groaned, hiding her face in her hands, sure that her cheeks were more red then they’d been before. It was a difficult physical reaction to hide.

“Is it true?” He asked her quietly, trying to get her to drop her hands from her face. “What you were doin’ last night?”

She took a deep breath, hands falling to her lap to smooth out her skirt over and over again; preparing herself physically to have to stand up.

She nodded weakly, that luscious bottom lip of hers tucked beneath her front teeth. It still killed him and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.

“Is it… is it true that…?” She wanted to ask him, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

They were nearly alone now; at least in their surrounding rows. “That I can’t wait to make yeh cum?” He smirked again, the devil in his eyes, “Yeah. It is. Can’t tell yeh ‘ow long I’ve been thinkin’ about it.”

“Oh my _god_ …” She whispered, her entire body engulfed in flames.

_That’s it. I’m done for. Leave me here._

“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for. But louder I should think. Much, much louder.”

By Thursday, Alex was exhausted. And frustrated. He cursed himself for all the extra-curricular bullshit he’d signed himself up for. Every night this week he’d had something he needed to do work-wise and he was pissed off. And chain-smoking.

Maura laughed, “You’re angry that you’re a good teacher? Who helps their students?” She was leaning against the brick wall beside him, the very same wall they’d met at on her first day. “God it must be awful to be such a good, well-liked professor.” She rolled her eyes, popping a slice of orange into her mouth.

Alex squinted at her, exhaling a stream of smoke from his lips, at the corner like he always did. It was sort of old-fashioned and Maura was fascinated by that detail about him. She also weirdly loved the way he held his cigarette between his forefinger and thumb. There was something incredibly sexy about it.

“I sound like a massive fucking dickhead, don’t I?” 

Maura shrugged, smiling secretively, her lips shiny and puckered up. Her tongue flicked out to lick her bottom lip and she laughed

“I think you’re drooling Mr. Turner.”

Alex glanced around and discovering there was no one near them, cupped her chin, leaning in close to her, his eyes searching her face. He smiled, counting the freckles across her cheeks, and getting lost in the caramel-colored irises he loved so very much.

“Droolin’ cause I fookin’ love yeh, Miss Vaughn.”

She smiled up at him, eyes closing when he pecked at her lips, once, twice, and ending the third in a lingering open-mouthed kiss that had her floating on cloud nine.

“Mmm… how. Do you always do that to me?” She breathed, licking the taste of him off her lips.

“Dunno. But I love the look on your face every time I kiss yeh like that.” He tapped her nose with his finger and took another long drag of his cigarette.

Maura watched him all lost in thought as she finished her orange, licking the sticky sweetness from her fingers. Alex cut his eyes over at her. 

“Stop that.”

She didn’t.

“Lookin’ for trouble y’are.” He smirked, exhaling another cloud into the grey October sky.

She was.

“Do you know what tomorrow is?” He asked her, stomping out the last of his cigarette.

“Like I could forget.” The air was a bit chillier now that the sun had disappeared and today she was thankful that she’d worn tights. Alex had been right; the weather would get much colder than she expected.

“What are weh doin’? Weh never decided.” Alex looked at her expectedly, eyes wide and doe-like as ever. Sometimes he was a lot of talk, other times he was nervous about how things would play out. Tomorrow night made him nervous. He wanted everything to be perfect.

Maura laughed shakily, her knees a little weak. “I don’t know! I didn’t even think about… anything… really…” 

_Except for the way you’re going to feel inside me but that’s fine._

Of course, they both _had_ thought about what they wanted to do. But that part of the evening already seemed like a definite sure thing. 

“I guess the better question is; my place or yehrs?”

“Um…” She was curious about his place, but she liked the convenience of being at hers. Everything she needed was there. Guys were just easier.

“I’m comin’ to yehrs.” Alex suddenly announced, making the decision himself. He wanted her to feel comfortable, and he also didn’t want to have her come to him. He was anxious to see her place. “Mine probably isn’t as nice as yehrs. And maybe weh could… make dinner or summat.” He grinned, wondering if she knew he was a decent cook.

“You can cook?!” She cried with a smile that reached all the way up to the corners of her eyes.

“Eh… I know me way around the kitchen. A bit.” He wasn’t half-bad actually. Some days he impressed himself. “Can yeh cook?”

“Sorta? I’m not terrible. I could be your sous chef!”

Alex laughed, “Dunno if I’m good enough to need an official sous chef. But I like the idea of making dinner together. Mmm… how ‘bout I’ll come to yours tomorrow after weh’ve both done a bit of unwinding from work, then we could go to the market together and pick summat out and _then_ we can cook.”

“Sounds perfect. I love it.” 

“Alreyt. I’ll be sure to put a bottle of wine on that list… know ‘ow much yeh love it.” Alex smirked at her and Maura shoved him. 

“You’re _such_ a jerk!” She exclaimed and shoved him again as they started to head inside. A few of their students were headed out as they were going in and they tried to hide their smiles as they slinked past, but nearly everyone knew something was up between the two young professors.

//

Now that plans were officially made, Maura had spent a large portion of her night making sure her place was presentable. She didn’t have much to be honest, it was mandatory that she only brought the essentials with her from home. Most of the flat was furnished before she got there, but she didn’t necessarily mind the style. Her taste was a little more modern, but as she visited more places in her new, temporary country, she picked up little things here and there to make it feel more like hers for the next year. She sort of wished now that they’d decided to go to Alex’s; at least it was a direct extension of who he was as a person. 

It didn’t feel quite like her in her little rented flat. 

“I’m nervous about you coming over.” Maura confessed that morning as they walked into school. 

“What? Yeh don’t want meh there?” Alex looked instantly hurt and she assured him that it had nothing to do with him.

“It’s just… not really my place, ya know? It’s like I’m having you over someone else’s home.”

“Maura… I dunno if yeh realize this, but… the only thing I care about in that apartment is you.” Alex elbowed her and she exhaled shakily. “We could ‘ang out on the lunar surface and I wouldn’t care because I’d be with you.”

Maura giggled and nodded, “Okay, okay. Just nervous.”

“Don’t be. It’s just you and me and weh alreadeh get on quite well, I think.” He ran his hand through his hair and she waited while he searched for his keys to open his classroom. “Comin’ in?” He questioned her and she nodded.

“Just for a minute or two.”

He ushered her in, his eyes following her as she headed to the only spot in his room that they couldn’t be seen. The little sway in her hips always got him. Today she was wearing a plaid mini-dress with polka dot tights and black heeled loafers with a bright red peacoat. Alex imagined that her apartment must just be bursting at the seams with her wardrobe. She rarely wore the same thing twice. The thought made him smile. 

He deposited his things on one of the desks before joining her, her arm outstretched to him. He laced his fingers with hers and she pulled him close, wrapping her other arm around his neck. “I am more excited for tonight than nervous.” She whispered against his lips, “Just wanted you to know that.”

Alex smiled as she kissed him softly, slowly. 

“It’s kind of like. _Finally_.”

She giggled, “That’s exactly what it feels like.” 

Her fingers stroked the back of his neck, as she pressed herself against him, impatient for tonight when there’d be less clothing, less risk of being caught. She was longing for the freedom of being with him and him alone.

“Next time you can come to mine.”

“Next time.” Maura repeated with a smile, “I love the idea of a next time before the first time.”

//

It took ages for Alex to get home that night, the traffic only adding to his impatience to get to Maura. The more time he spent idling in queue everywhere, the less time he had to get ready and get to hers. 

He wanted to shower. He wanted to wear the right thing. He was being ridiculous because it didn’t matter; they wanted each other so bad all the other shit was just unnecessary details. Alex wanted everything to be perfect for Maura. He hadn’t felt this way about anyone in years, and never this strongly, and he just wanted to do it _right_. A lot had transpired over the past week; including her opening up to him more than he ever imagined. He couldn’t get Tuesday in the auditorium out of his head, the way she confessed something so private to him, and then the risky business of letting him touch her in a room full of their colleagues… It was safe to say that Alex had taken several cold showers that week. 

He checked the temperature on the water for his current shower, and stripped out of his clothes. He paused to look at himself in the mirror, toothbrush wedged between his teeth. Even at thirty-two, as confident as he was some days, he had doubts of not being good enough. _Could be a bit more filled out couldn’t I? Yeh’re an idiot. Yeh’re fine. It doesn’t matter. Everything’s fine. She doesn’t care. She already wants you. Stop looking in the mirror._

He rolled his eyes at himself and took the fastest shower of his life. He was taking too long. It was nearly seven. 

//

Across town, Maura was dressed and ready. And nervous. And excited. Her hands were shaking as she lit some candles and opened the kitchen window for a little cool air. She didn’t wear a skirt. Or a dress. It felt like too much. She wanted to be more casual if they were going to to the market and cooking and _riding his bike_. She couldn’t wait for that part. She missed it. 

She kept checking and re-checking things, just for something to do. 

**Alex: be there soon love xx**

Maura’s stomach flipped. She didn’t know exactly how far away he lived, but it was enough for her to check everything in her place once more and then hover anxiously, perched on the back of her couch. _Why the fuck am I so damn nervous? It’s Alex. We’re already pretty great together. And I doubt he’s bad a sex. I know_ I’m _not… He’s probably incredible. Oh god. I’m gonna die._

Maura shivered thinking about Tuesday afternoon. It was just the smallest taste of Alex’s hands on her, but it was enough to throw her off all week. The couple across the way didn’t help either. _Maybe Alex and I can rival them tonight._ She smirked, biting her thumb and giggling. He’d be up for it she was sure of it. 

The sound of his motorcycle on the street made her jump to her feet and hurry over to the window just to make sure. 

“Mmm…” She groaned, leaning against the windowsill as she watched him park his bike and pull off his helmet. It was a ritual she was used to seeing every morning, but in a much different way. He was wearing her favorite jeans of his; the perfectly worn in black ones with the worn-in front pocket where he carried his phone. His ass looked so good in them. He carried his sparkly, silver helmet as he headed up the walk to the staircase that would bring her to her “penthouse” as he had affectionately called it the night she’d gotten drunk in Sheffield. 

The knock at the door made her jump out of her skin. She caught one last quick look at herself in the hallway mirror as she headed for the door and a deep breath before she opened it.

 _Oh._

_God._

Maura thought as she looked him over. He was wearing a shirt she’d never seen him in; a chambray button-down with his leather jacket and the necklace he always wore that she’d meant to ask him about but always forgot. His hair was still damp from the shower, and pieces of it curled by his face and around his ear. He looked. _Incredible._

“H-hi…” Maura finally managed to speak and then laughed at her own ridiculous nerves. 

“Hi, love,” Alex drawled, his eyes sweeping over her. She was wearing a soft ivory button-down short sleeve blouse tucked into the jeans he loved; the bell bottoms from their first night at the pub, and she was barefoot. _She’s even got perfectly adorable feet._

“Wanna come in?” She giggled, biting her lip. 

Alex groaned, “Starting already with the lip, eh?”

She laughed and Alex swore he’d never heard a more beautiful sound. “Can’t help it I’m afraid.”

“Drives meh crazy.” He confessed, reaching for her waist as he crossed the threshold into her house and directly into his arms. “Gimme that lip…” He smirked, his thumb at her chin, glancing up at her before kissing her.

“Mmm… Alex…” She sighed, arms around his neck in an instant. “Trying to skip dinner?”

He smiled, “Never. I’m starved. Just needed a little dessert first.”

She giggled again and they kissed in her doorway for much longer than they should have. “Yeh look gorgeous,” He murmured, pulling back from their kiss to look her over once again. “Me favorite jeans.”

Maura’s cheeks flushed only slightly this time as she thanked him and closed the door behind them. 

And then, they were officially alone for the first time in a week.

“Come on… I’ll show you around…” Maura led him into the small flat and Alex followed close behind her, admiring her from behind. She turned and caught him, laughing. “Pay attention Mr. Turner.”

Chuckling, Alex set his helmet down and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yeh never wear them jeans, just admirin’ ‘em.”

Her lips screwed up as she tried not to smile, but she couldn’t hide it. She walked him through the living room and kitchen area and then waved her hand towards the bathroom. “And then… that’s my bedroom down the hall.”

Alex smirked at her from across the counter, the tension thick as usual. “Weh should probably go get food before-”

“Before we can’t take it anymore and I spontaneously combust?” Maura laughed, very aware how awkward it felt.

“Yeah, that.” Alex nodded, a bit relieved that she acknowledged what they were both feeling. “Is the market far? Should weh take me bike?”

Maura nodded, “Yeah, it’s about ten minutes away. Let me just find my shoes…” 

Alex looked around some more when she disappeared, studying the pictures of her family in the living room, and some of her books scattered on the coffee table. Even though the place wasn’t technically hers, the little touches and details were so Maura it made him smile. 

“Can I wear clogs on the bike?” She called to him, and Alex laughed following her voice down the hallway when she called to him. He leaned in her bedroom doorway, watching her rummage through her closet. 

“I s’pose… Just gotta hold on tight and don’t let your feet dangle off.”

Maura peeked around the door when she heard him respond, “Oh hi. Are you sure? I can wear sneakers…”

“Yeh’re fine, love.”

“Good. Because I like them with my outfit.” She laughed, realizing how ridiculous she sounded. “I love clothes, I can’t help it.” She confessed and Alex asked her where she managed to keep them all. 

“Well… this closet. Anddd… this dresser here. And if you’ll follow me back down the hallway; this closet, too.” She opened it to reveal a second fully-stocked wardrobe. 

“Holy shit. Yeh brought all this with yeh?”

She nodded, “Yup. A little bit extra, I know. But I’m here for a year, I need things for all the seasons. And. I love my clothes, Alex.”

Alex ignored the ‘year’ comment, not wanting that thought to creep in his head. Not now. Not when they were just beginning. “I love that yeh love yehr clothes.” He laughed, “I always wondered if yehr place was just clothes everywhere or what.”

“Pretty soon they might be. Yeh’ve got great vintage shops here.” Her eyes widened and he laughed at her again. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

//

“What can I do? Tell me…” Maura stood beside Alex, watching him sort through the stuff they’d picked up. 

“Can yeh cut mushrooms?”

“Do you do that with a knife?” She deadpanned, “I think I can handle cutting mushrooms.”

They’d decided that a pasta dish was the easiest option, and Alex had one in mind that he remembered having at a friend’s house once. Mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes… he was gonna make it up as he went but he roughly knew what to do. 

Maura had put on music and Alex had poured them glasses of wine, and now he was rummaging through her cabinets searching for pans and utensils. She danced around him as he listed off more things he might need, pulling out cutting boards and knifes and a strainer. 

“I already can’t wait,” She hummed, alternating sips of wine with cutting mushrooms. 

Alex’s brow was furrowed as he messed around with the burner, “I ‘ope it turns out alreyt… makin’ it up as weh go.”

“Well, if it fails… at least we have the ice cream.”

Alex laughed, “Exactly.”

Their last stop at the market was the frozen section where they debated over the best kind of ice cream. Alex wanted all the junk and candy inside, and Maura could care less… she just wanted to see him get all giddy and fired up over sweets.

Alex had put Maura in charge of cutting everything; including a really delicious-looking loaf of bread they’d grabbed, and setting the table. “I never eat at this table. I think tonight is the very first night.” She chirped as she danced around to the playlist she’d thrown on. It was all seventies classic rock; which made it fun because Alex sang along with her. 

“Never? Where do y’eat, love?” Alex asked her, glancing over his shoulder at her dancing around the table as she lit some candles.

“The couch. My bed. The counter. Don’t you do that, too? Living alone?”

“Actually, come to think of it, yes. Yes I do.” He was juggling several things at once and he called her over for help.

“This smells delicious already, my stomach is growling.” 

“Me too,” He laughed and she kissed his shoulder before grabbing her wine glass again. “Who’s yehr absolute favorite band of all time?”

“All time?” She exclaimed, “Of all time?? Thats so impossible. How do I even…? Well. Beatles of course. But that’s a give-in I think. Abbey Road is like the best album of all time. You can fight me on that if you want. But it’s The Stones probably. You?”

“Yeh’re an Abbey Road girl? I’m partial to Rubber Soul meself. And The Stones, for sure.”

Dinner together was the most relaxed they’d been with each other all week. Alex was surprisingly, a really good cook. And they were learning so much about one another; beyond books and music and favorite food. Alex topped off Maura’s glass with the end of the bottle, and she gave him a look, her leg bent, foot resting on the seat of the chair. 

“Just so you know…” She reached for her glass, sliding it towards the edge of the table. “I am one hundred percent a sure thing tonight… no need to get me drunk.” 

Alex’s jaw dropped and Maura clapped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she’d just said.

The color rushed into both their cheeks, even more so than what the wine had already done, and Alex rested his hand on the table, trying to hide the grin, “Well, then…”

“Oh my _god_ I can’t even… _here_ … take the wine away. I can’t be responsible for what I say when I’m drinking it!”

“Love…” Alex began, trying to hold in his laughter, “We both know what’s comin’ next… weh’ve just been dancin’ ‘round it all night. Go ahead and drink yehr wine. Honest Maura is adorable. And sexy.”

Alex couldn’t stop staring at her, the way she tucked her hair in those messy waves behind her ear, the way her little button nose scrunched up when she laughed, and the way the wine made her cheeks permanently flushed. He wanted to kiss her all over. He couldn’t wait. 

“Sexy. A sexy lush.” She giggled, but took another sip anyways, standing and grabbing her plate. 

Alex grabbed her waist when she reached for his, and pulled her down into his lap. “C’mere…” She giggled again, balancing the plate and her glass as Alex kissed down her neck to the very edge of her shirt, peeking down inside playfully. “I can’t…” Kiss… “Wait…” Kiss… “any longer. I need yeh.”

“Mmmyes… please… let’s just…” She tried to get a sentence out when he covered her lips with his own, tasting the wine on each other’s mouths. “Let me…” She giggled, “… in the sink. Give me… one minute…”

Alex laughed, “Yes, sorreh… just fookin’ impatient, Miss Vaughn.”

“Me too, I know. I _know_.” He let her up, smacking her ass and laughing at the way she yelled. 

“Be right back…” He drawled and ducked out of the kitchen for a moment. 

Maura quickly grabbed his dish as well and brought them to the sink with no intentions of taking care of them tonight. She went back to grab their glasses when she heard a familiar set of voices drift up through the window. She heard Alex come back into the room, and she glanced over her shoulder at him. 

“Wanna see something kinda wild?” She asked him as he ran his fingers through his hair. “What’s that, love?” He took her outstretched hand and she led him to the living room window. 

“C’mere…” She pulled him right up to the glass where there was a clear view of the apartment bedroom across the street. The room was currently vacant and only the bedside lamps were on. Alex wasn’t sure what she was getting at. “There’s a couple over there that have the most active sex life. They’re constantly going at it.”

Alex smirked, his hand at the small of her back. “Oh realeh…?”

She nodded, laughing a little, “It’s insane. I’m actually surprised they’re not going at it already. They just got home though, so…” She squinted, her eyes scanning the other rooms of the flat for activity. 

He laughed, “This is absolutely _not_ what I thought yeh were going to show meh when yeh led meh over ‘ere, ya know. I was expecting a gorgeous view and some constellations through the smog or summat.“

Maura looked up at him, her caramel eyes shining, “Who’s to say it’s still not a gorgeous view?”

He swallowed hard, his palms sweating a bit. Constantly surprised by the things that came out of her mouth. He wasn’t sure if it was the wine or the fact that they’d finally let themselves be comfortably free with one another.

“So what do yeh do, stand ‘ere at the window and watch them like a little voyeur?” Alex teased her, is hand slipping into the back pocket of her jeans. She blushed a little, breaking eye contact for a moment or two.

She shrugged, “Sometimes I do. It’s fascinating. I mean, I don’t stand here with my face pressed against the glass panting or anything, but ya know… When I’m working on school stuff… I can see them from my desk,” she glanced out across the way again into their dimly lit room. “And when it’s quiet at night and I’m lying in bed, I can hear them over there…”

She was staring out the window intently, and Alex hadn’t once taken his eyes off of her. He was in love with the way the moon illuminated her hair and her cheeks, creating a soft, hazy blue glow around her in the dark living room.

She was stunning.

“And what do you do when yeh 'ear them?“ Alex asked her softly, burying his nose in her hair just behind her ear. He wound his arms around her waist, resting his lips on her neck. 

“Mmm… I listen. I close my eyes and try to imagine… her moans some nights… I just wonder what he’s doing to her to make her make those sounds.”

Alex was sucking at her neck, kissing her slowly, his hands on her stomach now. “Do they make yeh wanna touch yehrself, babeh?”

Maura moaned, her eyes fluttering closed. She could feel the throbbing between her legs, a rush of wetness at his words. She wanted to touch herself now, take Alex’s hand and slide it between her thighs, just like the other day.

“More times than I care to admit,” she told him, a breathless giggle escaping her lips. She was tingly from the alcohol and turned on by Alex’s touch.

“Did they make yeh think of me the other night?”

“ _Yes_.” She confessed, no longer embarrassed. But they both knew that there was an intimacy that couldn’t be fulfilled from giving your own self pleasure; however erotic the sounds were from the couple across the way, or how vivid your imagination.

Alex groaned pressing himself harder against her backside. 

“Look…” she whispered, pointing to the bedroom which had been empty only moments before. “They’re back.”

Alex lifted his eyes in time to see the man and woman across the way engaged in what looked to be an intensely passionate kiss. The man was tugging at the woman’s clothing like he’d been dying to get her naked all day. 

Maura’s fingers slid down Alex’s arms, her hands resting over his. He breathed in the smell of her hair; like coconut and coffee. They both watched intently as the couple began tearing each other’s clothes off, in plain sight for whoever wanted to watch.

Alex had never watched anyone so intimately, aside from pornography, but this wasn’t staged; this was real, raw, intense. Alex’s heart raced as he felt Maura shift in his arms, her breathing labored. She liked watching them and Alex decided he wanted to take her voyeuristic tendencies to the next level.

Tilting his head, he kissed her neck, his tongue flicking out to lick the sensitive skin. She angled her neck, giving him more access to her, and this made him smile. 

"Alex…” She breathed, “look…”

Alex lifted his eyes and watched as the guy got on his knees before her, kissing the insides of her thighs before going down on her. Maura moaned, her fingers digging into Alex’s hands. She laced her fingers through his, and guided it down between her legs. 

“Maura,” Alex breathed, his eyes closing when he felt the heat coming from her.

He curled his fingers upward, cupping her and leaning her back against him. His fingers found the waist of her jeans and he snapped open the button and slowly pulled down the zip. He heard her moan as his fingers stroked her soft stomach, leaving one hand there teasing the edge of her knickers while the other slid down and stoked her over the fabric. Maura whined and arched her back, pressing herself into Alex’s hand.

She hadn’t planned on things happening this way, and she certainly didn’t think Alex would be so… _ohhh…_

_Jesus Christ…_

Alex pressed himself against her ass, his hand sliding inside her panties. His middle finger circled her clit slowly before slipping down between her folds. She was already so wet and he continued to play with her, tease her, never quite slipping all the way in. 

“Mmm… Alex…” she whimpered, desperately trying to ride his hand. 

The other couple was fucking now. He was between her legs and slowly grinding into her, her legs spread open for him. The double stimulation was too much; the couple in the window and then Maura with her sweet-smelling hair and her dripping pussy.

Alex stroked her faster, pushing her body back against his so he could grind against her ass. When he finally slipped a finger inside her, she shuddered, angling her hips back. Maura could feel how hard Alex was, pressed tightly against her, his cock rubbing against the seam between her ass cheeks. And his fingers were torturing her, sliding in and out of her, stroking her slowly. She moved her hips against his hand, winding slow so she could feel everything; entranced by him.

Alex had stopped watching the couple now, too focused on the gorgeous woman in his own arms. He pressed his hand against the smooth plain of her stomach while thrusting his fingers inside her and she cried out for him, leaning her head back against his shoulder. Alex’s breathing was heavy against her neck, his lips wet as he kissed at her. She placed her hand over his and pushed his fingers into her deeper, feeling his thumb sweep across her swollen clit. 

The room was quiet except for the faint sound of the stereo and the filthy, wet sound Alex’s fingers made every time they moved inside her. He wanted to make her cum like this; fully-dressed, desperate and aching in his arms. She squeezed her thighs around their hands, whispering a faint, “Please…” 

Alex stroked around her clit with a little more pressure, as much as he could inside the restriction of her denim. He was so fucking hard pressed up against her, that he couldn’t help the moan that escaped his lips when he felt Maura’s hips shake, her pussy clenched tight around his fingers. 

“Mmm, Alex I…” she moaned weakly as she clutched at his hip with her left hand, bracing herself for the orgasm that shimmered just out of reach. 

Alex was grinding his hips against her ass, holding her close to him as she cried out, a rush of wetness soaking his hand. “ _Fuck_ … that’s it, love…” He hissed, massaging her slowly as the waves crashed through her, her body going limp against him. 

“ _Ohmygod_ …” she breathed, as Alex still teased her, slowly pumping his fingers in and out as she came down. 

He wanted to taste her. 

He wanted to make her scream for him. 

Maura licked her lips repeatedly, desperately trying to catch her breath. 

“Did that feel good, Miss Vaughn?” Alex drawled deeply, his palm sliding up her stomach and underneath her blouse to press against her ribcage. It was a wrinkled mess and he wanted it gone.

_Did it feel good? Jesus fuck._

“Sooommmffgood…” She shuddered as the little aftershocks rippled through her. Her hand still covered his, their fingers soaked.

Maura was aching for more. 

She wrapped her hand around his wrist, turning in his arms as she brought his fingers to her mouth.

“Fuckin’ ‘ell…” Alex murmured, palming the front of his jeans. He was going to fucking explode.

Maura licked them slowly, sucking on his middle finger with extra emphasis, her tongue swirling all the way from the bottom back to the top. She wanted him to know what she could do. 

It was easy to never suspect the quiet ones…

Alex’s jaw went slack as he watched her, the way her finger slid in and out of her mouth, between those gorgeous swollen lips of hers… he wanted that mouth elsewhere. He couldn’t take it. Without warning, he gathered her up in his arms and kissed her hard and feverishly; all the pent up tension from the past few weeks finally bubbling at the surface like a volcano ready to erupt.

“Mmmff… Maura… I fookin’ want yeh so bad, love…” Their teeth knocked together in the rush and she giggled, him smiling against her mouth. “Wanna taste yeh, babeh…” He kissed her hard, his lips exploring hers, his tongue on a mission, tasting traces of her juices on her lips from his fingers. He wanted it first hand. He wanted to lick her, make her cum again with his tongue.

Maura’s hands roved over his neck and back, over his biceps and beneath the collar of his shirt. Tangling in his hair. Anywhere she could reach. She needed him.

“Takin’ yeh to bed darlin’…” he growled against her mouth as he lifted her properly, wrapping her legs around his waist. She cried out with a laugh, melting into him. She decided then that she was completely his forever. Anything he wanted.

“Mmm…” She brushed his long hair behind his ear and whispered, “Are you gonna fuck me good?” With a throaty laugh she added, “Mr. Turner.” 

Just for good measure. 

Alex pressed his forehead against hers, that mischievous sparkle in his warm brown eyes, as he caressed the small of her back. She giggled excitedly; her stomach fluttering as he carried her to her bedroom. “You are, aren’t you?” She teased him, “Gonna give it to me good?”

Alex chuckled, kissing her like they were sharing a secret. 

“How bad do yeh want it?” He asked her, voice low and deep. She kissed along that sharp jawline of his that she adored so much, raking her fingers through his hair.

“So. _So_ bad. Do me no good Turner.”

//

The room was completely dark except for the little light on her nightstand. It bathed the room in a soft amber glow, just enough for Alex to explore her. Maura kissed his face, down his chin; soft little kisses, breathing him in. He tasted like wine and he smelled like mint and she wanted to lose herself in him, spend the rest of her weekend tangled up in him. 

She unlocked her legs from his waist when they reached her bed, her shirt riding up as she slid down his body. Alex tucked her unruly waves behind her ears, pressing his lips to her forehead, then the tip of her nose, and then her lips, teasing her as he pulled away twice before his tongue explored her mouth, kissing her deeply.

He nudged his nose against hers, “On the bed.” 

Maura bit her lip, obeying his request as he climbed over her, his knee between her legs. He kissed a trail down her body as he undid each button on her shirt, slipping them slowly through his fingers, stroking down her sternum with the back of his finger as he went. 

“Yeh’re beautiful…” He murmured, pushing off her shirt, kissing her breasts along the lace trim of her bra. He teasingly pulled down one side, licking at her rosy little nipple, his tongue swirling around her, sucking gently as he undid the clasp. 

“More.” She giggled, arching her back to get closer to his mouth as he slid her bra off. His hands smoothed over her breasts, his fingertips stroking just underneath the swell. He licked his lips and smirked, continuing on his mission. He got all the way to her belly button before he sat up, undoing the buttons on his own shirt. “Oh…” Maura leaned up on her elbows, chewing her lip harder as she watched him.

He was slight, but his body was toned. There was the smallest patch of hair on his chest that made her want to giggle because it was so endearing. But there was something about seeing him shirtless with the silver chain around his neck that he was never without. She imagined it swinging as he fucked her and she bit her lip. His stomach was soft and smooth, and she wanted to trace the lines of his abs, follow the trail of hair that disappeared beneath the waist of his jeans. He shrugged his shirt off and tossed it to the floor, his arms flexing. 

Maura moaned. 

Her eyes danced as they drank him in, down his biceps to his forearms, to his Sheffield tattoo on the left. Then his hands. The Death Ramps ring. His hair hung in his eyes, and she watched him rake it back, whimpering for more. 

“You’re killing me.” She admitted, wriggling her hips.

Alex’s eyes were dark, and he arched his eyebrow, leaning over her again. He kissed below her belly button now, light, feathery kisses all along the lace trim of her panties. He grabbed hold of the sides of her jeans and tugged, sliding them slowly off her legs and adding them to the pile of discarded clothes on the floor. 

His hands circled her ankles, sliding her legs apart as he inched forward. He bent down, kissing the insides of her thighs, his hair tickling her as he went. When he got to her knees, she giggled, blushing. “Yeh’re ticklish.” He mused, his fingertips stroking her teasingly. 

“Yes…” She breathed, still leaning up on her elbows, still watching him tend to her so lovingly. 

“Mmm…” Alex hummed as he lifted her leg, bending it and kissing down her calf to her ankles and the top of her foot. He rested it over his shoulder, and Maura squirmed, his fingertips dragging back down her leg again to the apex of her thighs. “Are yeh still wet for meh, Miss Vaughn?”

She whimpered, “Always.”

Alex growled and pressed his fingers to the damp fabric. Maura arched her hips into his hand, falling back to the bed. He curled his fingers beneath the hem of her knickers and pulled them down her legs and off her feet. And with a move he stole from the couple across the way, he spread her legs open wide, exposing her to him completely. 

“So wet. So pretty and pink for meh, love.” He murmured deeply, his thumbs caressing the sensitive skin at the joints in her thighs.

“ _Ohhh_ … my god.” She moaned, eyes wide as she watched him bow his head down, tucking his hair behind his ears before holding her thighs and blowing warm air against her wet pussy. “Ohh, _fuck_. Fuck.”

Alex chuckled at her reaction and did it several more times, Maura’s fingers digging into the comforter. “I could make yeh cum like this yeh know…” 

She mewled. 

_I don’t doubt it._

“Feels good, dunnit babeh?” He drawled, glancing up at her with a startling intensity. “This’ll feel even better…” He spread her pussy open, and licked a long, lazy stripe up her center, ending on her clit in a deep, open-mouthed kiss. 

_Fuck me. I could cum right now._

Maura raked her fingers through his hair, pushing him closer to her. “Lick me, baby…” She whispered as his tongue swirled around her clit again, sucking on her gently. His kisses were open-mouthed and sloppy, but deliberate in their attempt to make her cum for him. He nibbled at the outer folds of her pussy, pulling and teasing, his nose brushing against her clit. Alex licked at her, breathing her in, turned on by the scent of her and how aroused she was. She tasted tangy and sweet and he wanted her to cum so hard; to drink her down.

“Yeh taste so fuckin’ good…” He hummed, his voice vibrating through to her core. She nearly lost her shit. The way his lips moved against her when he spoke into her; nearly killed her. Her head was fuzzy and full of stars as his tongue probed at her, at her entrance, teasing her before thrusting inside her. He licked at her walls, his nose still pressed against her clit. He was too much.

Maura’s nerves were electric, her entire body buzzing. His pillowy soft lips sent waves of pleasure through her, making her legs shake. He held her down, hands at her hips as he continued to eat her out. His tongue swirled figure eights and Maura pushed his head down even more, rubbing her pussy against his lovely mouth to fuck that gorgeous face of his. 

Alex was smiling, she could feel it, despite how tightly closed her eyes were. His tongue continued to thrust inside her as she rode him. 

“Mmm… yeh’re so fookin’ tight… tell meh how good it feels…”

“Alex… I…” She choked out, amazed by how easily he was able to undo her.

“Tell meh…” He growled, his deep voice resonating within her, her skin prickling. “Say it babeh…” He demanded, his breath hot as it washed over her, his lips brushing up against her with every word he said.

Her orgasm shimmered just beyond another twist of his tongue, “Mmm…you feel so good, baby… I’m gonna… mmmmff…” She whimpered, hearing him groan and bury himself deeper. He grabbed her ass and lifted her closer to his mouth, his tongue fucking her so good.

“ _So-ooo_ good, baby…. _so_ …” Maura’s back arched, pushing herself closer to him still, and he growled, sucking at her hard, his tongue pressing against her clit and flicking at you quick. She was a mess beneath him, and when she came, her cry was a multi-note moan as she road her orgasm out against his face. Alex drank her down, kissing her clit slowly as her moans turned into content, cat-like purrs. 

Maura. Was dead. Officially.

Body tingling still, she tangled her fingers in his hair again, telling him over and over again how good he made her feel. Alex sucked at the joint where her leg met the rest of her body, and then nipped across the bone of her hip, her hands running through his hair. He planted a wet kiss on her lower stomach, before coming up to settle between her legs. He kissed her deeply, sharing the tangy taste of her juices that lingered in his mouth still. 

“Alex…” She whispered, her skin damp from her orgasm, from the way he set her on fire. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him all over. “Fuck me.”

Alex kissed her once more, long and languid, before kneeling up. His hands left her waist to unfasten his belt, that ridiculously sexy hair of his falling into his face as he kept his eyes on her. 

“You’re so incredibly sexy.” She confessed, her lips and throat raw from moaning for him. 

Alex chuckled and mouthed, “Thank you…” with a twinkle in his eye as he pushed his jeans and boxer briefs off his hips.

Maura moaned at the sight of his cock when the fabric slid over it, the way it bent a little before bouncing back to hit his stomach. Her mouth felt dry and she licked your lips as she watched him stroke it, his long fingers wrapped around it, thick and throbbing. Shifting her hips she moaned again, “Alex… please…”

“Wait… just…” He said softly, his eyes drifting down her body. She squirmed; she didn’t mean to but, she couldn’t help it.

Her eyes stayed focused on his hand, what he was doing, how he was touching himself. She swallowed thickly, inching closer, raising her hips higher. He smirked before his face broke out into a full-on smile. “So impatient…”

He kicked off the offensive fabric, his thumb lazily stroking her clit as his hand worked his cock. Maura watched him in a daze, the way the precum beaded at the tip, the way the swollen head slipped through his fingers. 

Alex stayed on his knees inching closer to her, lifting her legs just enough so that her thighs draped over his. His hand smoothed across the crook of her thigh, his thumb leaving a wet trail from her arousal. 

“Oh _fuckkk_ …” She moaned, her voice shaky as Alex rubbed the head of his cock through her folds. Her hips shook and jerked, and her eyelids fluttered, her eyes rolling back into her head. 

_Oh fuck him._

“Too much.” She mumbled, just north of a whisper. 

That’s when she felt his other hand beneath her breast, settling on her ribcage and squeezing just slightly. “Look at meh, love.”

“Alex, I-” Her voice caught, and she moaned when he slid his length between her folds again, slipping so easily on account of how wet she was from his stellar oral techniques.

His thumb caressed her ribs, drawing circles while his other hand held his cock close to her, palm down to keep himself from slipping off. Hot. He was so hot, and she could feel the thick vein that ran up the side of his cock pulsing as it slipped back and forth over her clit, teasing her entrance.

“Look at meh, darlin, I wanna see yeh.” He drawled, never once slowing his movements. 

She whimpered, her eyes meeting his; intense but warm with the way they burned into her. “Hi.” She whispered shyly, and his face lit up with his gorgeous smile and a soft chuckle. 

“Hi.” 

“I like when you do that…” She told him softly, her hand resting on his forearm. 

“Do yeh?”

She nodded anxiously, “Yes, Alex… please…”

Alex groaned as he pushed his way inside her, finally giving them both what they wanted. She moaned in response, trying not to close her eyes as he sank into her. Inch by inch he slid deeper and deeper, until their bodies met and he couldn’t go any further. 

He stilled, gazing down at her, drinking her in. Her messy waves were all over the pillow, her hair damp around her face, her bangs sticking to her forehead from the heat of the moment. Her face was flushed, cheeks pink and rosy, her caramel-colored eyes locked on his; wide and sparkling. He hadn’t anticipated the night playing out this way, but he liked seeing this side of her, the way she reacted; unafraid to say what she felt, what she wanted. 

Alex wanted to give her everything. 

He was mad for her.

Maura couldn’t believe they were here; at this moment. She was dizzy with the way he stretched her open for him, the way he filled her so completely. It felt so surreal. So _good_. 

He took her hands, lacing her fingers with his, and raised them over her head as he leaned over her, and into her. Alex nudged his nose against hers, and kissed her lips tenderly.

She sighed into his mouth, melting into him. His hands slid down her wrists, her forearms, until they reached her shoulders where he followed the curves of her breasts, and caressed her sides all the way down to her hips, admiring her body beneath him. 

“So gorgeous,” He breathed and squeezed her hips once more before covering her body with his. 

Maura spread her legs open for him, “I love the way you feel…” She moaned as he began to move inside her, the rhythm of his hips slow and rough; deep as he thrusted. Her hands pressed into the small of his back, feeling the the layer of sweat that had already formed. Sliding down to his ass, she squeezed and pulled him closer to her.

“Deeper.” She whispered and he kissed the top of her ear before growling into her neck. He pushed her thigh open even farther, and rutted his hips into her, the head of his cock hitting her so hard. 

“Fuck. _Yesss_ …” She moaned and hugged him tighter still. 

Alex’s breath was all over her neck, his hips rocking into her, pulling out just a little and then grinding back into her hard. His lips pressed against her neck sucking gently, moaning into her. They were soft, pillowy kisses, tender and unlike the motion of his body.

“Like this?” He breathed, and she tilted her head back as his lips trailed wet kisses to the pulse point in her throat. “Is this how yeh want it, love?”

He punctuated each question with a rougher thrust of his hips, and Maura cried out softly. Alex leaned into her, his hands sliding down her thighs, and wrapping her legs around his back, his hands on either side of her head. 

She held onto him tightly as he rotated his hips into her, his skin slick with sweat. His hair fell into his eyes again, and she tucked it back over his ear, stroking her finger down his perfect nose before kissing him hungrily. She ran her hands down his neck, her fingers curling under his necklace, pulling him closer still. “You’re so fucking thick… love the way you feel inside me…”

Alex groaned, sweat gathering at his temples as he pulled out of her and back in again roughly. His necklace swung against his chest and Maura dug her heels in his ass, making him grind into her. She squeezed her thighs around him and Alex moaned, thrusting into her over and over again, the force of his body knocking little cries from her lips. Her fingernails scratched into him, holding onto his sides just beneath his arms. She felt the muscles there, the way they strained as he moved and she pressed kisses to his chest. 

“Right there, baby…” She breathed and slipped her hand down to where their bodies met.

Alex growled, “Play with yehrself, babeh…”

She closed her eyes and pressed her face into his chest, his necklace still swinging just beside her head. God he felt good, so thick and hard and-

“Alex… I’m gonna cum again…” She moaned and clung to him tighter, stroking her clit faster, harder. He angled his hips, and the head of his cock hit her spot and she screamed, unexpectedly; surprising them both.

“Holy fuck,” Alex choked out, his face and body dripping with sweat. His hair was damp at the base of his neck, beads of sweat trickling down to the front. Maura rocked her hips up, riding him as his cock slid out all the way and filled her to the hilt again. The pressure built up so much inside her, her pussy throbbing so much it ached, another stroke more and she was going to explode. 

“Cum for meh, love,” He growled, his arms straining, the muscles in his arms shaking from holding himself above her.

Her hips lifted off the bed, arching into her hand, into him. When her orgasm hit her, it was like the detonation of a bomb the way her body released, the way it hit her all at once, blinding her. Maura screamed for him, her body shuddering with pleasure and it sent Alex over the edge. He buried his face into the side of his arm, groaning as he exploded; the warmth from his release filling her up.

Alex collapsed on top of her, and Maura sighed, the weight of his body on hers felt so good. She lay there beneath him, her chest heaving and her body shaking still in the aftermath. It took Alex a moment to stop shuddering, his cock still buried deep inside her. He was blown away. He’d never… sex had never felt that fucking good with anyone else before. 

He lifted his head from where it was buried in Maura’s neck, and he gazed up at her; eyes hazy. She looked perfect. Like an absolute angel lying there beneath him. Her fingers splayed across his back as she caressed his damp skin, up and down his spine to the top of his ass. 

He kissed at her swollen top lip, lifting his gaze to her eyes again. They were warm and soft and he wanted to swim in them, let them swallow him up.

“You’re. Amazing. That…” Maura was at a loss for words. “I’ve never felt that good. Ever. Ever in my entire life. Even alone. And I know my body really, _really_ well okay?”

Alex chuckled, “I was just thinkin’ exactly the same thing.”

“How are you so. You’re so _good_. I wanna to die.”

“No love,” Alex smoothed her hair back from her forehead, “don’t do that. Then weh can’t ever do it again.”

Maura giggled, her voice hoarse. “Oh my god. I’m losing my voice. What have you done to me?”

“Just loved yeh real good.” He mused, kissing her temple. “I’ve been waiting forever to make yeh cum like that.” Her cheeks flushed and Alex kissed across them, feeling how warm they were beneath his lips. “Don’t get shy on meh now, Miss Vaughn.”

“Mmm…” Her moaned trailed off into a giggle as Alex moved off her and onto his back. He raised his hand up, and she turned her head to look at him, lacing her fingers with his and squeezing him tight. “I won’t.”

They lay there in silence for a few moments, listening to the sounds outside on the street, watching the lights shift across the ceiling. Alex’s stomach growled and the two of them erupted in a fit of laughter. 

“Yeh know what I heard is really, really great for incredibly sexy women, who may or may not beh losin’ their voice because their boyfriend fucks ‘em so good?”

Maura’s mouth opened in shock and she laughed incredulously. “Let me guess… ice cream?”

Alex grinned nodding his head. She laughed again and grabbed his face, kissing him hard. “Come on. That does sound kind of amazing right now.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s here. I am tired. But it’s here. Feels long this time actually. So please enjoy xx

“Wait… let meh get that realeh huge chunk of chocolate reyt there…” 

Maura held the container of ice cream as Alex dug into it with his spoon. When he got it, he looked up at her, grinning triumphantly. 

“You. Have an addiction. And it’s scaring me.” She teased, scooping a smaller, but equally delicious mouthful for herself. 

“I do. I know it.”

Maura was sat on the counter, legs swinging wearing nothing but Alex’s chambray shirt. He just about died when she put it on. 

_“I like this a lot… can I have it?” She’d asked him with a smirk._

_“No, Miss Vaughn, yeh may not. Yeh’ve got enough clothing as it is. And I love that shirt.” He watched her as she buttoned it up slowly, her torso and breasts slowly disappearing with each button. “Even if it does look really fuckin’ adorable on yeh.”_

Alex was leaning on the counter beside her, licking his spoon. “Do yeh realeh get off from that couple across the way?” He asked her thoughtfully.

She laughed softly, “Well. Yeah. Don’t think I’m weird or anything alright?”

“It’s not weird… it’s fascinating to meh. Do they really go at it regularly? Like every night?”

“All the time. I swear. Windows open. Curtains open. Screaming without a care in the world.” Maura told him, spooning out another bite.

“Hmm.” Alex pondered the scenario silently for a few moments. “Ya know. Weh could probably do betteh.”

Maura nearly choked. Hadn’t she been thinking that just before he arrived that night? “For some reason. I knew you’d say that.” 

He stood up, his gorgeous smile lighting up his entire face. “Realeh? Weh could though.” 

Maura bit her lip as she smiled at him. He was adorable. And ridiculously sexy.

“What? I could make yeh scream louder than her.”

Her eyes widened and she watched Alex’s fingers walk their way up her thigh. “I don’t doubt that.”

“I definitely could. Look… I made yeh almost lose yehr voice.” He squeezed her knee and smirked at her.

Maura licked her spoon extra, agonizingly slow. “You did.”

His fingers were inching beneath her shirt, tickling the inside of her thigh. “Weh could get loud. Like… wake the fuckin’ neighbors loud.”

She dug out another scoop of ice cream, biting her lip before feeding it to him. Her caramel eyes twinkled as she watched him, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips.

“When do we start?”

“Mmm…” Alex licked his lips one more time, his gaze still locked heavily on Maura’s. “Reyt now I should think.”

//

There had been no inclination that it was going to rain. It had started somewhere between four and five am, the thunder outside cracking just outside the open window in Maura’s bedroom; waking them both from sleep.

She’d fallen asleep on Alex’s arm; not entirely sure how she’d managed that exactly. Alex blinked sleepily, tilting his head to look down at Maura. The color of her irises were like a swirl of emotions; fatigued, excited, curious. There were more, but Alex couldn’t count them all. 

“Y’alreyt?” He whispered hoarsely, the room an eerie blue-grey in the early morning. 

“Mmm, hmm.” 

He pressed his dry lips to her forehead, attempting to move his arm. It had gone numb, and the needles hurt when he shifted.

“Sorry… I…”

Maura sat up, letting his arm free.

“No no… it’s alreyt. It’s just asleep. Come on back, love.” Alex beckoned her into the crook of his arm when he moved to lay on his side. “Reyt in ‘ere…”

She backed up into his arms, his body curving along her backside, warm and soft. His arm was around her waist in the next moment, hugging her close, his nose buried in her hair. 

“Mmm. Much betteh.” He murmured, moaning softly as their breathing evened out and they settled back into the cozy warmth of the bed.

Maura could feel Alex’s breath at the back of her neck mixed with the chill coming from the draft of the window and shivered. Alex, in his sleepy state, hugged her tighter. Feeling instantly at ease, she let herself relax into him. Someone had once told her that when you find your soulmate, you feel completely calm. She didn’t know if Alex was her soulmate; she didn’t even know if she believed in the notion itself, but she’d never felt more comfortable in all of her existence, then she did right now knotted up with him. 

The rain fell heavily just outside, and she listened to the way the sky opened up, and the way Alex softly snored when he fell back to sleep. She smiled into her arm, thinking back to the first moment she saw him; the quiet confidence in his dreamy, coffee-colored eyes. And how everyone told her that when she moved someplace new, she was going to meet someone and her life would change completely. That’s what everyone told single girls. She scoffed at it. Laughed it off and rolled her eyes. 

But this time, _this_ time, they were right. 

//

“Weh slept all day.” Alex groaned, when they both finally woke up for real that Saturday, just after noon. 

Maura yawned, stretching her arms above her head. “It felt good to sleep. I needed it.”

Alex sat up begrudgingly to stretch and caught her yawn, “Felt so good.” 

Still lying in bed, she watched the muscles in Alex’s back and shoulders flex as he stretched, her stomach doing acrobatic flips. _I’ve slept with him. We had sex._ _Really, really good sex. He’s so. Dreamy. I kind of want to scream. Would that be weird?_ She was inner-monologuing, but, it was so very necessary. He looked incredible. Soft and kissable and handsome. Even upon just waking up. It was ridiculous.

Alex turned back to look at Maura, still very much in bed with no apparent signs of moving. “Hi.”

She giggled, “Hi.”

“Do yeh ‘ave any plans of leaving this bed today Sleeping Beauty?” He drawled teasingly. Her hair was messy and her eyes more like gold in the grey light of the stormy afternoon. 

“It’s too warm and cozy to leave.” She insisted, still comfortably tucked into the soft white down of her bedspread. “You sure you wanna get up?”

Her lower lip stuck out, glistening pink and wet, and Alex suddenly found himself with no desire whatsoever to leave. “Well, when yeh look at meh like that…”

Maura slid her hand up his arm and across his shoulder blades, “Come back.” She told him with a coquettish blink of her eyes. Alex slid back in, dipping his head to brush his nose against hers, before pressing their lips together in a gentle kiss. 

Alex moved to kiss first one cheek, and then the next, slow and easy, taking his time. Maura smiled when he pressed his forehead to hers, draping her arms over his shoulders. “Yeh’re realeh so very beautiful, and I have no desire to beh anywhere else right now.”

Maura felt the flush creep up her chest to her neck while she let him kiss her all over.

“Would it beh…” He murmured, a kiss to the tip of her nose, “… outrageous to suggest…” and another kiss to the bow of her upper lip, “… that weh stay in bed all day?”

Her eyes drifted closed as he created an imaginary path with his mouth down her neck, to the pulse point of her throat, from one shoulder and across her collar bone to the opposite side. His fingers gently curled over the edge of the sheet, inching it lower, making Maura whimper. He brushed the tips of his fingers over her nipples, feeling her shiver as they came to hardened little peaks. Alex open-mouthed kissed down her sternum, his thumbs caressing the underside of her breasts before he cupped them gently, massaging them into his hands. 

“Do you expect an intelligent answer from me?” She murmured, feeling Alex’s smile against her skin. She opened her eyes momentarily, surprised to find him gazing up at her with those seductive bedroom eyes. They were warm chocolate with hues of amber, and she suddenly forgot anything of importance; her name, her age, how she took her coffee. All that existed in her world was that face, and the man it belonged to.

His tongue, wet and rough like sandpaper licked at her nipple and she whined, arching into his touch. “So that’s a yes?”

//

If Monday never came, Alex would’ve been quite happy. He’d stayed with Maura until the last possible second Sunday evening, reluctantly heading home around eight to give her time to prepare for work the next day. 

_“Fun’s over.” Alex murmured, as they said goodbye, her head on his shoulder in her entryway._

_“Just for the night.” She mused, her fingers stroking at his neck above the collar of his t-shirt._

_“Won’t be the same at school.”_

_“There are ways around that.”_

_Alex tightened his hold around her waist with his forearm. “Scheming alreadeh, Miss Vaughn?”_

_“Mmm…” She groaned, hugging him tighter. “… why does that sound so incredibly sexy when you say it?”_

_His thumb stroked her hip, kissing the top of her head. “Maybeh it’s me accent.”_

_“Definitely the accent.” She agreed, kissing his neck. “Your voice is sexy.” She kissed him all the way up to his ear. “You’re sexy.”_

_“Say sexy again.” He teased._

_“Sexy.” She purred, nibbling on his earlobe. “You’re_ so _incredibly sexy… Mr. Turner.”_

_Alex groaned shaking his head, “Don’t yeh start. I’ll never leave.”_

_“Please don’t.”_

Reluctant was too kind a word to describe how difficult it was to leave. It was more begrudgingly. Stubbornly. He ached the minute she was out of his arms. Alex was a fool for her. He had her, but he was still terribly sick with love for her. It was silly, but he had trouble sleeping that night. He lie awake in bed, recounting details of their weekend like a film reel inside his head. Best picture. Phenomenal score. Great casting. Stunning female lead. Dynamite chemistry. Terrible editing; only because there wasn’t a single moment he wanted to forget. Even the smallest details were of importance. Like the way her hair was matted at the back when she woke up, and the way her eyes were so sleepy and soft, and how she stirred her spoon in both directions when she made her coffee; first one way and then the next.

He was very unsure of how he was going to be able to function this week. There was so much going on; presentations and parent/teacher meetings during the second half of the week that would take up all of their time. Not to mention the fact that they had an hour set aside with headmaster to propose their idea for conjoined classes. They had made a very stupid plan to wait until the weekend to see each other outside of school, and Alex was already regretting it. 

“We just have to get through this week,” Maura had insisted, wanting very desperately to make a good impression with the parents of her beloved students. Alex didn’t blame her. This was more important for her; she had much more at stake as an American teacher with a year-long visa. “And then we’re free and clear. And depending on whether or not we’re able to co-teach our classes… we’ll have plenty of time to spend together.” 

He knew she was right. They just had to get through the week.

//

“You got me flowers?!” Maura gushed excitedly when Alex presented them to her that Monday morning, having taken care to keep them safe for the remainder of his morning commute. He’d sped past them outside a little market, and promptly turned around to purchase them. Maura’s reaction was exactly the one he’d been envisioning. 

“I did.” His heart soared at the way her face lit up. She was like sunshine. “Sunflowers for me sunny girl.”

“Oh my god.” She breathed, and Alex grinned at the flush in her cheeks. “I swear you do these things just to see me blush.”

“Maybeh.”

She bit her lip and slid her hand inside his leather jacket to hug him. He was wearing a sweater beneath it, and Maura nearly melted. “Ooh, you’re so warm. Can we just leave now?”

“Babeh, I wish.” 

She whispered ‘thank you’ and kissed his cheek, already missing the bit of scruff that had accrued over the weekend. “You shaved.”

He chuckled, “Had to. Can’t let ‘em know what I look like outside of ‘ere.”

“Too sexy for the girls?” She teased, knowing full well that all the girls on campus had a crush on Professor Turner. How could they not?

“Too sexy. They might combust.”

“ _I_ might combust.” Maura murmured, against his cheek, feeling Alex’s fingers slip up the back of her thigh. “Mr. Turner…” She warned, placing her hand over his and sliding it back in the opposite direction. “We’re not alone.” 

Students had begun trickling onto the main lawns, and even though Alex parked his bike far from the building, they were still in plain sight. Anyone who wanted to look, could.

“They can barely see.” He argued, in that drawl that made Maura’s knees weak. His hand moved back up and he squeezed her ass beneath her dress, lingering much longer than he should’ve.

Maura yelped and bit his jaw playfully. “Day one, ten minutes in, and you already can’t behave.”

“Can’t ‘elp meself. Especially when yeh look good enough to eat.” His fingers slowly moved towards places they shouldn’t be moving towards and Maura moaned, untangling herself from him before he could go any further. 

“Noooo way. We’ve both got class in less than a half hour. Can’t make me all hot and bothered before I have to teach a bunch of teenagers.”

Alex smirked at her from the seat of his bike where he was still sat. “‘ave I got yeh all wet, babeh?”

If it were physically possible for Maura to turn a darker shade of red, then she would’ve. “That’s it. I’m leaving now.” She took a deep breath and backed away from Alex and his bike. 

“Didn’t answer me question.” He called after her, adoring her little strut as she hurried away.

Maura clutched her bag tighter, trying to ignore the humming buzz between her legs. “Maybe!” She finally yelled over her shoulder, bitting her lip and grinning when she heard him let out a wolf-like howl. “Fucking gorgeous bastard…”

//

_“Wot’s this?” Alex murmured, pausing mid-kiss. He’d discovered her tattoo._

_“Oh…” Maura giggled, feeling Alex stretch her arm higher above her head. “… a tattoo.” She giggled again when Alex grinned._

_“I can see that, love.” He drawled, inspecting it closer. It was dainty and small, very fine line work. It was a very realistic pair of daisy sunglasses on her left rib cage. It was so delicate he hadn’t noticed it until now, Sunday morning on her settee. “Wot’s it mean?”_

_No one had really seen that tattoo. Alex was probably the first._

_“It just… I used to wear a pair when I was a kid. Everywhere. There are a few photographs somewhere. They were like a premonition of my love for the sixties,” She laughed at her own silliness, “so I immortalized them on my body. As you do.”_

_“That. Is the most adorable fing I’ve ever ‘eard.” Alex’s fingers brushed against it, noting how intricate they were. “They’re realeh well done. I want teh see a photo.”_

_Maura giggled again, unsure if she were embarrassed by the explanation of the tattoo or by the fact that she was half-naked in Alex’s lap in the middle of the morning. “I’ll see if my mom can send it to me…”_

_“Let’s not bring up Ginger when I’ve got yeh on me legs the way I do.”_

_Maura laughed again when Alex tickled her ribs, squealing in his arms.“You wanted a picture!”_

_Alex kissed the side of her breast, his hands splayed out across her back, “Still got them sunnies, darlin?”_

_Maura caught her breath, melting into Alex’s touch as he kissed and caressed her in the warm light that streamed in through the living room window. “Their whereabouts are a mystery.”_

_“Hmm…” Alex hummed, leaning back into the couch, his hands at her shoulder blades, pulling her down onto him. She pressed herself against him, gazing up into the amber color of his eyes. “Yeh’re quite sexy, Miss Vaughn. Did yeh know?”_

“Mmm…” Maura moaned softly, squirming in her seat as she thought about what came next. As it turned out, Alex very much enjoyed Maura sitting in his lap and riding him.

The daydreaming was getting out of control. It was absolute madness. She’d spent every in-between time thinking about her weekend with Alex, and when she wasn’t thinking about that, she was dreaming about the upcoming weekend and how’d they’d spend it.

She was getting to see his place this time. After the meetings ended on Friday, he was taking her there. She could hardly contain her excitement. He promised he’d take her somewhere to practice riding again.

_“Is your bike okay out there, in the rain?” She asked him on tiptoes, peering out the kitchen window. The rain was still heavy, pounding steadily against the pavement, and Alex’s motorcycle._

_“It’s alreyt. It dun’t ‘appen often.”_

_“I wanna ride again.”_

_“Me or the bike?” Alex replied, his head leaning against the back of the couch, looking at her._

_“Both.” She grinned, Alex mirroring her smile._

_“Come stay with meh next weekend, and weh’ll drive out to the country again. Maybeh get yeh a proper helmet first.”_

_Maura’s eyes lit up, “Oh my god, really?” She joined him back on the couch with two mugs of tea in hand, curling up against him when he lifted the blanket._

_“Yes love, if weh’re doin’ it more often, then yeh need teh beh safe.” He tapped her nose and took the mug she offered to him, “Can’t let anythin’ ‘appen to yeh.”_

Maura crumpled into a heap across her assignment-riddled desk, and buried her face in her arms, feeling the heat from her face. “I’m so in love with him.”

_//_

“July twentieth, nineteen-sixty-nine is where we’re headed tomorrow. Does anybody know the significance of that date?”

“It were a good year I know that.” Some male called from the back and Maura fought the urge to roll her eyes. 

“Actually it _was_ a very good year, sexual connotations aside.”

A soft rumble of laughter excited the students, and Maura knew she was just about ready to lose them in the next few minutes.

“How about the number eleven? Does that give you any hints?” She was met with blank stares, “Guys come on! I’m talkin’ Neil… and good ol’ Buzz… very famous names in American history…”

“July twentieth, nineteen-sixty-nine. Apollo eleven. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Tranquility Base. The very first successful manned mission to the moon.”

Maura’s head snapped in the direction of Alex’s voice, as well as the majority of the classroom. His thick english accent and deep cadence was hard to ignore. Her heart raced when he flashed her a grin from the very back row. _He must’ve snuck in during the film clip…_

“Yes. ‘One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’” Maura said as evenly as she could, but it was a difficult task. “Aldridge and Aldrin walked on the lunar surface for two hours and thirty-one minutes collecting samples for their return to earth. This is the event that just about closes the decade, and we’re going to explore it more in the next week.”

The class began to pack up their things before she could finish what she was saying. “Alreyt guys, come on then.” Alex stood up and headed for the front of the class. Maura felt her hands sweating a little. She’d have to pull it together if they were going to teach in the same room in a few weeks. “Moon stuff.” He drawled, and the class laughed, “Space shit.” 

Alex was on a mission to her desk where her bum was just barely perched on the edge, “Moon stuff and space shit,” She smiled, reiterating his casual nonchalance of such monumental historical information. He came to stand beside her, leaning against the desk as she was, their fingers just barely touching. “I guess it’s something like that.”

 _What are you_ doing _?!_ She wanted to scream at him. _What is this ambush? I’m not prepared to teach with him beside me just yet._

“What brings you in here to interrupt my classroom, Mr. Turner? Other than to embarrass my students with your stellar knowledge of one of the most important, ground-breaking events in American history.”

“Stellar. I believe yeh mean out-of-this-world.” Alex teased, his pinky finger just barely grazed hers, but she could still feel it; sharp as a high-voltage electric shock. “Well I were ‘opin that today was the discussion about the infamous rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.”

The students laughed again. _Bastard._

Maura’s lips screwed up, trying not to smile at her idiot boyfriend, “Which we all know is entirely untrue Al-” She stopped herself from saying his name, “Mr. Turner. And that would be next week’s topic. Two weeks chronicling music and the British Invasion, of course.”

She gestured towards her students and that got them excited. 

Alex smirked at her, his eyes dancing, “I’ll just ‘ave to stop in next week then.”

Maura stared at him for a second before announcing the end of class. “Guys… the reading is in the course outline… Chapter six: The Moon Landing. Get on it. And if you happen to have class with Professor Turner after this; be sure to give him a hard time. He needs it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

A cluster of her favorite girls came to the front, one of them telling her that her sunflowers that were displayed in her water bottle on her desk were beautiful. “Who are they from?” She asked, trying not to cut her eyes over at Alex who made all the girls nervous.

“A secret admirer.” Maura told her without hesitation, even though she was burning up inside. She could feel Alex’s energy beside her and she wanted to die. Or climb on top of him. She was leaning towards the latter.

“Oh…” The girl said softly, cutting her eyes over to Alex, “… that’s lovely.” She joined her friends again, filing out of the classroom giggling.

Alex and Maura didn’t move until every student was gone and the door was shut behind them. “You. Asshole. What are you doing in here?” She finally hissed, when Alex’s hand covered hers, entwining their fingers. She couldn’t help but smile. He was a troublemaker with good intentions.

He shrugged, his eyes dancing mischievously, “Wanted to see yeh in action.”

“You caught me off guard.”

“Thought yeh did amazin’. Brilliant, educated banter.” He teased her, his thumb stroking hers.

“You want us to get caught, don’t you?” Maura wasn’t exactly sure what the policy was now regarding relationships between teachers, but regardless, she didn’t want anyone to treat her or Alex any differently because they were together. 

“No… I just missed yeh.” He confessed, leaning in towards her in hopes of a kiss. Maura kept her eye on the door, which from the angle on the other side of the narrow strip of glass, was a clear view to her desk.

“Kiss me quick.” She whispered, her body already revving with electricity.

Alex squeezed her hand, and licked his lips, “Impossible.” 

Slow and dizzying, Maura pulled away, Alex’s bottom lip between her teeth. “Mmm… now get outta here before someone catches us.”

//

“Oh my god, Maura… what’s he like?”

Maura giggled as her baby sister, Bea leaned closer to the screen, her eyes wild with excitement. The fact that Bea was in Texas and Maura was able to see and speak to her was so incredible, she still had trouble wrapping her head around the concept. Sometimes technology blew her mind. She had missed her so much, and catching up on FaceTime was precisely the distraction she needed. Except. Now they were talking about Alex. 

The very person she needed a distraction from.

She giggled again, trying to think of all the ways to describe Alex. 

“I have never, ever seen you this giggly! He must be incredible. _Pleeeease_ , please tell me!!” 

“Hmm…” It took her a moment, but, “do you know that song by The Shangri-Las?” Maura looked at her, eyes wide and expectant like a night owl.

“Leader of the Pack?” Bea suggested, knowing full well that her sister had educated her better than this on her love of music from her favorite decade. But that’s the only one she could think of.

“No. Well actually, sorta. But no. _Give Him A Great Big Kiss_.” And when her sister didn’t know, she played the song on her Spotify, singing along. “ _That’s_ what he’s like. That’s how he makes me feel. He’s so dreamy… I mean. He’s more than that song. He’s. _So_ much more than that song. He’s like. Every good sixties pop song. All the ones with the shoo-wop, shoo-wops in them.”

Bea was a hopeless romantic, more so than her sister. She slumped down in her desk chair, her chin in her hand. “The look in your eyes right now…”

“I know. I’ve looked like this for over a month. Just got worse after this weekend.”

“Why after this weeken- _ohhhhh_ … I see.” Bea hummed, wiggling her eyebrows at Maura. 

“It was a good weekend.” Maura shrugged softly, little moments from those three days flashing behind her eyes. 

“He’s a good guy then?”

“ _Yes_. He’s so intelligent. And he’s got a great sense of humor. And. _So_ sexy. He’s just. Mmm…” She sighed happily, hugging the pillow on the couch tighter to her chest.

“Picture?”

Maura’s nose wrinkled up, “I don’t have one actually… he’s not really into the whole social media thing either, so…”

“Good. I like that.”

“Me too. He’s gorgeous though, Bea. I can’t even… describing him won’t do him justice. He’s a little taller than me, dark chin-length hair that curls a little sometimes. His nose. Is so. It’s a perfect Roman nose. It gets in the way sometimes when we… kiss. Such kissable lips. These warm, expressive eyes that I just wanna get lost in for days and days…”

Bea sighed, dreaming up her own version of him. “Good in bed?”

Maura’s face flushed and her younger sister laughed, “Yes.” She whispered softly, a giggle bubbling from her lips a moment later. “Really, really good.”

“Okay well. I love him already. So stay there and fall madly in love and work together at Hogwarts and I’ll come visit you with your cute little English cottage and all the babies you’re going to have together.” 

Maura yelled, covering her face with the pillow. “Stop that!” Came her muffled reply followed by a long groan.

Her sister laughed, “Don’t act like you haven’t thought about that already. Wait. What’s his name?”

“I haven’t actually. And it’s Alex. Alex Turner.” Maura smiled, feeling relieved in a lot of ways to be discussing him with someone. “And oh my god the way he says my name…”

“In that Northern english accent? I can only fucking imagine.”

//

“Ya know… the whole sweater and glasses thing is really a lot.”

They were due to present their idea to headmaster in a few minutes, and Maura sat on Alex’s desk while he sorted through some of his notes. Since the weather had gotten cooler, his wardrobe had shifted, and he looked more collegiate than ever these past few days. She found herself daydreaming more than usual, her latest fantasy; wearing his jumpers while they cuddled in bed together, Alex reading to her with those ridiculously sexy tortoise-shell glasses.

“And yeh think it’s easy for meh to focus when all yeh wear is mini skirts and dresses?” Alex looked up at her, lips pursed and jawline cutting. “Thank fuck yeh’ve been wearin’ tights lately. The bare legs thing… I can’t even talk about it. I’m a fookin’ mess.”

“Three more days…” She purred coquettishly, inching up the hem of her dress, watching his eyes follow up her legs. “… and then I’m all yours again, Mr. Turner.”

He swallowed hard; Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his throat. _She really needn’t do that whilst sitting atop me desk. It’s hard enough to concentrate during class without thinking about bending her over it._

“Could yeh please stop…?” Alex asked her hoarsely, his glasses slipping down his nose. He pushed them up, and she chewed her lip,.

_Okay… that’s. Really sexy. His face is so damn gorgeous. His nose. I’m fine._

Maura didn’t stop though, and she didn’t let herself get distracted. It was his fault anyways, he made her like this. She continued to inch her skirt up higher and higher, “What are you thinking about? I bet I know…” She teased, dragging her fingers up her leg as she went. She placed her hand flat in the middle of his notes, and leaned down towards him. “Thinking about me bent over this desk, aren’t you?” She whispered seductively, watching Alex lick his lips before locking eyes with her.

“Stop.”

“Mmm… my skirt hiked up… begging you to give it to me….” She’d never seen him this red, his prominent cheekbones flush with color. It crept up to his ears, and if Maura weren’t so turned on by their little banter, she would’ve found it incredibly endearing. “Are you blushing, Mr. Turner?” Alex’s ears turned more red, “I knew it.”

“Maura…” 

“When do you wanna do it?” She teased him more, opening her legs just a little, her hands sliding towards her inner thighs. “I don’t know if I can wait… I really want you right now.”

“ _Maura._ ” He growled, his fist clenched tight, his knuckles turning a bright white.

“See how it feels?” She simpered, “Torture isn’t it?”

Alex nodded stiffly, “Maura, weh’re meetin’ the headmaster in ten minutes.”

“Whoops.” She shrugged, the smirk on her face identical to one Alex would’ve given her. Taking a deep breath, he sat back in his chair, and Maura glanced down. “Oh my god…”

“Well what the fuck did yeh think were gun’ teh ‘appen?” He hissed, palming himself as discreetly as possible in case anyone should happen to walk in.

“I don’t know,” She giggled, her cheeks red, lip tucked between her teeth as always. “I got carried away.”

Alex rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Not as simple as me teasin’ you.”

“You mean not as visible.” She chortled and Alex snarled. 

“Yeh gun’ teh get it, Miss Vaughn. When all this is through… I swear.”

“I know.” She grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear, “That’s what I was hoping for.”

//

“Turner. Ms. Vaughn… please.” 

Headmaster welcomed them into his office, gesturing to the two seats in front of his desk. His office was warm and inviting, cozy and lived in and Maura felt very much at home; like she were visiting her grandfather or something. Alex held his arm out, inviting her to sit first and then followed suit. She crossed her legs and watched him as he eyed the dish of hard-boiled sweets on the edge of the desk. 

_His teeth are going to rot out of his head. S_ he giggled to herself, making bets on how many he’d swipe before they left. 

“Ms. Vaughn, weh ‘aven’t checked in since yeh began… yeh’re settling in alreyt, yes?” Headmaster asked her and she nodded excitedly.

“Yes. I really, really love it here. I love all my students and I’m really looking forward to the meetings tonight and tomorrow with their parents.”

“Brilliant. That’s fantastic. And Turner ‘ere has been taking care of you no doubt?”

Alex’s tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek and he glanced at Maura from the corner of his eye. She caught it and nodded, “Alex has been taking _very_ good care of me.”

“Alex,” Headmaster chuckled, “yehr folks would be quite pleased I should think.”

Alex nodded slowly, rolling the words over and over on his tongue before speaking them, “I think they would beh, too.”

“Ms. Vaughn,” Headmaster said, sitting back, “Did Turner ‘ere tell yeh that his parents used to teach ‘ere long ago. That’s ‘ow they met. Watched them fall in love and everythin’.” 

Alex was leaning against the armrest, chin in hand as he looked to Maura who nodded, her expression sweet, her eyes like melted caramel. “He did tell me that. It’s incredibly romantic.” She chirped sweetly, “I didn’t know you knew them, though.”

“Watched it ‘appen.” He confirmed, “I were there when they first met. Like fireworks.”

“Really?” Maura grinned and looked at Alex who only had eyes for her. It was a much different look than the one he’d given her back in his classroom minutes ago. This one made her knees weak and her heart soar. And then he winked at her and she thought she’d melt into a puddle in the very middle of the conversation.

“And then they ’ad Turner ‘ere…”

“And the rest is history.” Alex chimed in, jumping at the chance to change the conversations’s directional course. 

“Speaking of history…” Maura sat up, picking up on what Alex was attempting to do. “We’ve got an idea that we want to present to you about our classes.”

“Headmaster, weh’ve been talking, Maura and I, and weh’ve discussed the parallels between our courses, and weh’d like to ‘ave the opportunity to try and combine them.”

“Co-teaching our subjects since there is so much crossover between the historical events of the sixties that I teach, and the literature Alex teach’s in his english class.”

“They’re actually seamless. It would make perfect sense to transform our curriculum to further explore our subjects.” Alex concluded, “I think it would give our students a more well-rounded understanding of the time period. Miss Vaughn is an incredible teacher, and I would love to work with her more, as well.”

That part was unrehearsed. _Going off the cuff there, Turner?_

“I feel the same about Alex, headmaster.” Maura smiled, genuinely excited about the prospect of teaching beside him. “He’s an amazing teacher, and all of his students adore him. He’s got a likability about him that makes him approachable, and I think his style would rub off on me in the best possible way.”

Alex arched his eyebrow, unable to ignore the particular descriptive words she chose to use when talking about their relationship. “Weh’ve got a whole outline detailed for yeh, headmaster. Weh’re thinking of coinciding the Beat Generation from Maura’s class with New Journalism from me own.”

Maura had the course outline they’d been working on from their notes at the coffee shop, and she handed the folder over the desk to him. “It’s all in there; how the classes could play out… what the focus of studies would be…”

Headmaster was silent, but there was a smile on his face as he looked over the documents. He nodded his head and looked up between the two of them. “I like the idea of this. I’ll need some time to go over it… and then weh can meet again… let’s say next Monday?”

//

“The fact that he’s gun’ teh look over it is a very good sign,” Alex commented as they headed back down to their wing together.

“I know.” She grinned, trying not to skip along beside him. “That and the fact that you’re like, his favorite.”

“‘ey!” Alex exclaimed, nudging her with his elbow. “Just because he loves me folks doesn’t mean he loves meh, too.” Maura gave him a pointed look and he chuckled, “Alreyt, yeah it does.”

Maura laughed, the sound of their shoes echoing along the empty corridor. It reminded her of the day they first met, when he’d given her a tour. She had no idea then that Alex and her would be where they are now. 

“I’ve got a confession, love,” Alex suddenly spoke up when they were nearly at his door. 

“And what’s that, Mr. Turner?” Maura questioned as he looked around and took her hand, kissing her knuckles quickly.

“What yeh said earlier, in me room… I think about that a lot. A fantasy of mine.” He had that bedroom look about his eyes, and Maura felt her heart race. 

“Me bent over your desk?” She whispered, as he stepped a little closer to her. It was risky, out in the open in the hallway, but at the moment, he didn’t care.

“Think about it all the time.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear, and pressed herself against him, “Now how are we gonna make that happen, Mr. Turner?”

//

“We made it.” Alex cheered, helmet still on, arms up in the air. “T.G.I.F. mother fuckers!”

The wind blew the very first of the crunchy fall leaves up into a little tornado around where Maura stood, as she laughed at Alex and his early morning antics. He had the leather jacket on over his white button-down shirt, and his grey slacks were stretched tight over his thighs on that bike. 

“You’re an idiot.” She grinned, the crunching sound of the gravel beneath her loafers echoing in the empty parking lot on that cool October morning.

“I may beh an idiot, but yeh’re still gorgeous.” Alex was in a fantastic mood, despite the fact that they had one more afternoon of meetings to get through. “Anddd… cue the tuck of the hair and the biting of the lip…” He teased and Maura shoved him.

“Shut up!” 

He grabbed her hand and pulled her close, “Only jokin’. Give us a kiss.”

She grabbed the edge of his helmet and kissed the front of it. “There. Now hurry up, I’m freezing.”

Alex grinned and yanked it off, smoothing his hair out as much as he could. Maura looked him over again now that she was closer, taking note of his blank ankle boots with the buckles. Fancy. His necklace caught the light and she thought his shirt was undone a button more than usual. It was too much for her not-quite-awake-this-early brain to comprehend. 

“Checkin’ meh out, Miss Vaughn?” Alex teased, swinging his leg over the bike and strapping his helmet down next to his extra one for Maura. 

She was in fact, checking out his ass in those pants when he had his back to her. Everything he was wearing today was a sin. She felt so dirty thinking about all the things she wanted him to do to her.

“I am.” She replied, her voice catching. “I am very much checking you out.”

Alex ran his fingers through his hair, glancing at her over his shoulder.

“Oh god, don’t do that. I can’t take it all.” She moaned as Alex put his arms around her.

“What’s wrong, babeh?” He kissed his softly, “Thinkin’ about all the ways I’m gun’ teh make yeh mine this weekend?”

She moaned again, burying her face in his chest. “YES.”

He chuckled and patted her ass through her skirt, “What ‘ave I turned yeh into?”

“A _fiend_.” She grumbled, “I hope your flat isn’t far from here.”

“Don’t worry, love, I can get us there quick.”

“GOOD.” Came her muffled reply. 

Alex took her face in his hands and lifted her head to look into her eyes. “Me naughty girl. Let’s get in there and get this over with.”

//

There was a soft knock on the wooden doorframe leading into Alex’s classroom that night, fifteen minutes after seven. Alex was sorting through paperwork on his desk, cleaning up to get out of there. When he looked up, Maura was shutting his door behind her, turning around with big wide eyes. He’d seen her only once that afternoon in passing, when the pair of them were going in different directions. 

“Three more hours,” He’d whispered to her when they got close enough, meaning that’s all they had left before they were free for the weekend. 

He had to force himself to not think about her through the round of meetings he had that late afternoon, the short-sleeve tawny-colored jumper and tartan plaid mini-skirt she’d chosen that day really living up to the moniker he’d given her that morning. Alex felt as dirty as she had earlier. And now with the way her back was up against the door, looking as sweet and innocent as ever with those big caramel eyes, Alex was very, very thankful there was no one else around.

“Hi.” She chirped sweetly, her knee bent just slightly in her black tights and her favorite pair of square-heeled loafers. 

“‘ello, Miss Vaughn. Aren’t yeh a sight for sore eyes.” Alex drawled, as he looked her over once again, his fingers twitching as he waited for her to make another move.

“Meetings go well?” She hummed.

“Fantastic. Yehrs?” 

“Really great I think…”

Neither of them cared about the meetings.

That tension that had been there before they’d slept together was back, lingering heavily in the close quarters of his classroom. The window was only slightly ajar, and it ruffled a stack of papers, but it wasn’t enough to cool Alex down. His dress shirt was sticking to him like a second skin.

Maura’s throat felt thick and tight, and when she noticed the way Alex’s forearms flexed when he leaned against his chair, she felt the ache between her legs. One week. It had been one whole week. Almost. 

“Everyone’s gone ‘ome for the night, love… weh’re all alone,” There was a devious sparkle in Alex’s eye, the kind that gave Maura an excited chill up her spine.

“How do you know we’re alone?” She asked, peeking out the window in the door of his classroom. He was right, the hallways were deserted and almost all the lights were off.

“They all book it after teacher’s meetings… ‘ead down teh the pub ‘round the corner. It’s tradition.”

Her heels clicked as she slowly walked to his desk where he was now sat on the edge, hands folded casually in his lap, looking ever-so-much the part of the good-looking young teacher. Every school girl’s fantasy. 

Maura dragged her finger along the edge of his wooden desk, glancing back over her shoulder at him through the fringe of her sounder-length wavy hair, “Are you looking to get into trouble Mr. Turner?” She purred, flashing him a coquettish look.

Alex groaned softly, then chuckled; he should’ve known she’d be willing to play along, “If trouble means ‘avin’ yeh bent over me desk with yehr skirt hiked up ‘round yehr waist… then… yes.”

Maura stopped dead in her tracks, Alex’s dark brown eyes practically on fire as he looked her up and down; not even bothering to hide the fact that he was checking her out. He was undressing her with his eyes, remembering all the bends and curves of her that he loved so very much. The same bends and curves he couldn’t wait to commit to his memory this weekend.

Maura was quiet, contemplative as she let his last remark linger between them a bit longer. “Have I been a bad girl?” She batted her eyelashes at him, “Are you going to teach me a lesson?” 

This was exactly the scenario Alex had imagined the first second he’d met her. His fantasy. Obviously it wasn’t their first time fooling around, but it was in a place he’d fantasized about for weeks now. And the anticipation turned him on, his cock getting harder with each passing second.

Maura rounded the opposite side of his desk, behind his back until he felt her hand on his shoulder, slowly slipping down until her fingertips traced the vein that stuck out so prominently in his forearm. It made her stomach ache, remembering what it felt like when he was on top of her, supporting himself on his arms so as not to crush her completely. She longed to have him back inside her.

Alex’s heart was racing as she came to stand in front of him, between his legs, nearly at eye level. Her fingers left his arm, and her hands rested on the tops of his thighs now as she bent forward a bit, arching her back. Alex’s hands were on a mission of their own, and he slipped them around the backs of her thighs, coming to rest just below the curve of her ass.

“Yeh’re gunna need teh properly address meh if yeh want meh teh answer yehr questions, love,” Alex gazed up at her, his eyebrow arched as he waited for her response.

Maura licked her lips, her bottom lip caught between her teeth before she whispered, “Have you got a lesson to teach me, _Mr. Turner_?”

It was a risky situation, even for Alex who liked to have a bit of fun now and again, but he wanted this so bad he could taste it. Taste _her_. He licked his lips thinking about what it’d been like, his face buried between her thighs last Friday night. He wanted that again and again and again.

“Miss Vaughn. Yeh’ve not been behavin’ this week, ‘ave yeh?” Alex asked her cooly, despite the growing bulge in his already tight grey slacks.

She shook her head back and forth slowly, squeezing her hands on his thighs. “No, Mr. Turner. I’ve been naughty.”

Alex groaned, he couldn’t fight it. “What do yeh think I should do then, Miss Vaughn?”

Maura leaned in more, her lips so close to his that he could practically taste the strawberry flavor of her lip balm, “I’m not quite sure…”

Considering her, Alex placed his hand on her throat, his thumb slowly stroking her neck. Maura purred, arching closer in hopes of a kiss. Alex searched her eyes, asking her if they were really going there, here in this classroom after hours. There wouldn’t be a way to explain if they got caught, but he also didn’t think he had it in him to back down now.

“I want yeh to bend over for meh.” He growled darkly, and the honey color in Maura’s eyes flashed from the thrill of it. 

She knew how dangerous this was, but she had Alex. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She was sure of it. Maura straightened up slowly, and Alex stood, following suit. She fixed her skirt, wiggling it down when Alex growled, “Don’t bother.”

She whimpered as she did what he’d asked, leaning her forearms on his desk, her ass on display for him. She knew that being bent over like this made her skirt hike up far too high, and she glanced over her shoulder to watch Alex admiring her from this angle. 

His jaw clenched, and he ran his fingers through his hair before rubbing his cock through his slacks. Maura felt a rush of wetness between her legs, and she turned away, hanging her head in anticipation of what he’d do next. 

Alex slid his hands up her thighs, bringing the fabric of her skirt with them. The way the tights stretched across her ass, he could see through to her skin, and she wasn’t wearing a single thing underneath. No knickers. He squeezed her ass, and pressed himself against her, the thickness of his cock pushed hard and tight between the curves of her.

Maura moaned, moving her hips to work herself against him. _Oh my fucking god, he feels so good._ This was something she never would’ve done before meeting Alex, or maybe she would’ve. It didn’t matter, she wanted to do everything with him. She liked that he brought this side out of her. And this was the hottest thing she’d ever done in all her life on this earth.

“Miss Vaughn,” Alex drawled, his voice raspy and deep as he struggled to keep it together. “What lesson do yeh think I’m gun’ teh teach yeh?”

She glanced at him over her shoulder again, her eyelids heavy with lust, “How to fuck me properly?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter fucked me up (in a good way - cold showers) when I wrote it lol, so it’s a lot shorter than the others. I feel like it needed to just breathe on it’s own before moving on to the next part. I also realize that I write a lot of the chapters with flashbacks because it’s more fun to jump around in my opinion, and I wondered if that translates alright? Let me know. And enjoy this one in a non-work area; it’s not suitable. 😏💦

The wind whipped the hem of Maura’s jacket as they sped along the Sheffield city streets to Alex’s flat. His place was close, but not close enough that she wasn’t able to lose herself in her thoughts. She squeezed Alex’s waist tighter, her body snug against him. Her tartan plaid mini-skirt was the wrong choice for an evening ride home on the back of a motorcycle, she hadn’t thought that through this morning when she got dressed and proceeded to pack a small backpack of things she’d need. So when it came time to physically get on the bike, Alex watched her over his shoulder, as she shimmied it all the way up until her thighs were free enough to straddle him. 

“Alex,” Maura breathed, “I’m…” She sighed softly, her cheeks pink, the entire lower half of her body exposed due to her damaged black tights and her hiked up skirt. There wasn’t anybody around, but she knew that in a moment, Alex would speed off and she’d slide closer to him, the back of his slacks flush against her pussy. She didn’t know if she was ready for it.

 _This_ was probably the dirtiest thing she’d done.

“It’s alreyt, babeh,” Alex drawled deeply, “nobody will know but you and meh.”

His eyes caught hers, and she whimpered. He was too much. This was too much. She hadn’t yet recovered from before, and the vibration of the bike beneath her made her feel weird in a good way; the humming both soothing and also a complete turn-on. 

Alex placed his hand on her thigh before he took off, and squeezed it. Trembling, she blushed harder and pressed herself tighter against him, desperate to be in the privacy of his place where they could do it all again

 _“That’s correct, Miss Vaughn.”_ _Alex’s voice was dripping with sex, the desire in his voice lighting her body up like a pinball machine, every pulse point from the apex of her thighs to the base of her throat was on full alert._

_She felt Alex’s hands smoothing over her backside, grabbing and kneading her, his hand slipping between her legs._

_“Yeh’re soaked, love.” Alex growled, “That because of meh?”_

_“It’s all for you Mr. Turner.” She breathed, chewing on her lip as he fingered her through the crotch of her tights._

_“Are yeh always this wet for meh?” Alex pressed his fingers against her, petting her slowly, reveling in the moment. He stroked himself through his slacks, his cock hard and throbbing with the need to be inside her. Five days was too long; especially with all the teasing and the sexual tension._

_Maura nodded, rotating her hips to get his fingers where she wanted them. “Always.”_

_They should’ve been moving quicker, faster with the looming possibility of someone catching them, but it was too good. All of their fantasies culminating to this very real moment._

_“Do yeh like it when I touch yeh like this, Miss Vaughn?”_

_With the disadvantage of not being able to see his face, Maura’s other senses were heightened, and his voice was going to be the death of her. Somehow his accent sounded thicker, and every dirty thing he said lit up another target in her, bounced off another bumper, the spinners going mental. She ached for him to touch her all over, but this wasn’t the time or the place. That would come later in his flat, fucking on every surface like they had at hers._

_“It feels so good, Mr. Turner. I want more. I want you.” Maura purred, the words spilling from her lips before she could give them a second thought. “I want you to fuck me.”_

_She heard him groan, his hand slipping from between her legs to smack her ass. She wasn’t expecting it, and she let out a cry that had Alex warning her to be quiet. She clapped her hand over her mouth, moaning into it when he slapped her again. Alex curled his fingers under the waistband of her tights, prepared to pull them down over her ass, but he was hungry for her, his blatant sexual desire getting the best of him. Instead he pulled at the seam that ran down the middle and ripped a hole just large enough to fuck her._

_Maura cried out again into her hand, her pussy drenched and aching for him. This was all so much more than she’d bargained for._

Alex checked on Maura in his mirror when she moved behind him, squeezing her thighs around him tighter. He did his best to not think about the fact that her tights were ripped because of him, and that her skirt was hiked so high that whatever parts of her that were exposed were pressed against the back of his slacks. The world around them was crisp and cool, but Maura was so warm and inviting. It wouldn’t be long before they were back at his; the weekend full of endless possibilities. 

_Alex deftly undid the button and zip of his slacks, relieving himself of the pressure. Maura whimpered when she heard the sound, anticipating his next move. She could only imagine what she must’ve looked like to him just then, the way he had her bent over, her clothes pushed up and ripped… it turned her on. She needed him._

_“Please…” She begged him, her palms pressed flat now against the desk. She dug at the wood when she felt him touching her again, stroking her clit before slipping his fingers inside her. There wasn’t very much range of motion, the way he had her, and the way he was stretching her open already made her knees buckle. She could feel his other hand stroking himself, hear the sounds they both made, slippery and wet._

_“Tell meh how bad yeh want it, Miss Vaughn,” Alex said slowly, drawing out the vowel sounds. He wouldn’t be able to last much longer, but he wanted her to beg him for it. It was all part of the fantasy._

_Maura quivered, her lower lip trembling as the pressure between her legs built up. She was sure she was going to cum the minute he entered her. “I want it so bad, Mr. Turner. I’m so wet for you. I want you to fuck me. Please. Fuck me so good.”_

_Alex growled at how desperate she sounded, how wet she got with each admission. He’d never been so turned on in his entire life._

_“I’ve been so bad…” She whispered just before Alex thrust all the way inside her, her hips knocking into the wood and shifting the desk. “Oh my god…” She moaned, his cock hot and thick as it filled her up._

_“Fuck…” Alex growled, his body curved over hers, giving himself a moment. “Yehr cunt feels so fuckin’ good, love.”_

_Maura whimpered again, his filthy mouth completely unraveling her. “Alex…”_

_Gripping her hips, he pulled out, prepared to fuck her again when he felt her body shaking. “Yeh comin’ alreadeh, babeh?” Alex asked her, his voice softer, but not any less sexual._

_Maura nodded, burying her face in arm as her first orgasm rippled through her. Alex kept fucking her, feeling her pull at his cock, her pussy slick and warm. She was so tight, her thighs pressed together, the small rip in her stockings the only way to access her. He placed his hand on the small of her back, his fingers gripping at the waist of her skirt and using it for leverage to fuck her harder._

_“Oh my god, oh my god…” She moaned into her arm, a string of expletives following. She felt the build up of pressure before the last orgasm even subsided, Alex’s cock hitting her just right. The way her body was folded over the edge pressed against her in such a way that it made it seem like he was going deeper, reaching places she was sure she’d never felt before._

_“So fuckin’ tight, love…” Alex moaned, sweat beading at his temples, his hair falling in his face. “Yeh feel so fuckin’ good…”_

_The harder Alex fucked her, the more the desk moved, and soon they were almost angled, Maura’s heels slipping as she struggled to stay standing. With her cheek flat against the desk, Maura grabbed her tits, her entire body aching for relieve. She wanted him to play with her, to swirl his fingers around her clit and make her explode._

_“Touch me.” She pleaded, feeling Alex angle her hips up so he could slip his hand between her legs from the front. It was difficult, so he tugged at her tights, ripping the fabric more. When he brushed against her swollen clit, she cried out again, covering her mouth once more to silence her screams._

_Alex was almost there, completely fucked up from the way she looked beneath him; spread open and desperate for him. He fucked her hard and deep, positive that if someone didn’t hear her cries, then they’d hear the sound of them fucking, their bodies meeting and making filthy sounds. Maura came again, grinding her ass back against him. She leaned up on her forearms and glanced back at him over her shoulder, her caramel eyes full of lust as she begged him to cum._

_“Fuck me hard, Mr. Turner, give it to me… cum for me, baby… fill me up…”_

_The flutter of her eyelashes and the soft pleading in her voice was all it took, and Alex gripped her waist hard, his fingers digging in as he exploded inside her. He growled, his body curved over her, his face pressed between her shoulder blades._

_She bit her lip as she felt him cum, feeling it warm and wet inside her, his arms winding around her middle as he collapsed on top of her._

Maura’s eyes were shut tight as they rode, the wind keeping her overheated body cool as they dipped through side streets to their destination. The way Alex had held her, the way he’d let go inside her… she moaned and squeezed him tighter. She thought she heard him call to her, but his voice was lost in the sounds of the city around them. They had only one more traffic light before they were free, and Maura sat up, looking into Alex’s eyes in the mirror. They were onyx and stormy, and he looked about as well put together as she was. The electric crackle between them never ceasing after they’d left the classroom.

_Alex flicked the lights off in his room, his shirt damp with sweat when he slid his leather jacket on. Maura was in her room gathering her things, and he locked his door behind him to collect her. She was slowly sliding on her coat when he arrived in her doorway. You wouldn’t know it from the looks of her that her tights were ripped, but her cheeks were so pink Alex couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Maura walked to him with a shakiness in her legs, the backpack she’d packed the night before secure on her back._

_It occurred to Alex just then, that he hadn’t kissed her enough that day. The rushed, over-sexed kisses after they’d fooled around weren’t nearly enough. When she got close enough to him, he took her face in his hands, his thumb smoothing over her bottom lip before kissing her deeply. Maura held his wrists, closing her eyes as she lost herself in him._

He’d lit a cigarette the moment they got outside, and she recalled the way the smoke circled his head, a crown for her rascal sweetheart. He smelled of it now, a fragrance that was completely Alex; cigarettes, mint, leather and even a bit of sweat. The bike slowed as they arrived at his street, a surprisingly sweet, well-kept neighborhood that was quiet and quaint that Friday night. Maura couldn’t believe this was where he lived. It wasn’t the cute little English cottage, but fuck if it wasn’t close enough.

Alex’s bike seemed loud and out of place, roaring down the road, but no one seemed to mind. Maura felt a bit dirty when a pair of young boys waved at them, sitting on the steps of their home. _Please don’t let them live across from Alex._ But they kept down the road until they reached a very tall and very old looking renovated townhouse. He took them down an alley not much bigger than the width of a small car, and parked his bike in back. Alex took a deep breath when he’d removed his sparkly helmet, which seemed as out of place as his motorcycle in this neighborhood. “Weh made it, love.” He laughed when he saw her expression; wide eyes and that ridiculous biting of her lip. “Do yeh wanna get off first so…”

Maura nodded, and used Alex’s shoulders to steady herself before swinging her leg over and adjusting her skirt. It was no use though, she still felt exposed, but at least now they were in the confines of Alex’s back yard. He followed suit, setting his helmet down to help her with hers. 

“Let’s get this off yeh,” He murmured, sliding it off gently. He tucked her hair behind her ear, fixing her up like he’d done the last time, and Maura smiled up at him. “Definitely gettin’ yeh another one tomorrow.”

She nodded, swallowing hard, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

“No words, love?”

She shook her head, and Alex took her hand leading her into his place. He was at the very top, too and the three flights up were silent and tense. Maura shook with nerves while he unlocked the door, letting her inside before even turning on the light. He’d barely closed the door when she threw herself at him. Alex moaned into her mouth when she kissed him, her tongue teasing him as they backed up into the wall. She pawed at him, pushing his jacket off his shoulders while trying to unbutton his shirt, her lips everywhere, biting and kissing.

Alex chucked, exhaling the worry that had crept into his head on the walk up. He should’ve known she couldn’t speak because she was thinking dirty things. She kicked off her shoes while she messed with his zipper, Alex’s hair falling into their eyes, his nose getting in the way of their kisses. Shrugging out of her jacket and bag, she giggled as he grabbed at her hips, sliding his hands beneath her skirt, crouching down and pulling her damaged tights from her legs. She chewed her lip, one hand on the wall, the other on his shoulder as he slid them down. His hands were cold and gave her the good kind of chills. He yanked her skirt down as well, standing up into her arms and kissing her hard. He switched their positions, her back to the wall now.

Maura moaned into his mouth, feverishly exchanging kisses while he worked at getting his pants off. She tugged at his hair, pushing his shirt open, her fingers exploring his chest, her hand around his neck as she slid the other inside his boxer briefs. “Mmmgimme…” She murmured with a smile, her fingers curling around his cock.

Alex growled into her mouth, letting her stroke him until he could’t handle it. He grabbed her ass and lifted her, guiding himself inside her. “Ohmygodd…” She moaned, her arms around his neck as he fucked her.

This wasn’t slow and easy and reveling in a fantasy, this was a fucking _need_ to have one another. 

“ _Ohhh_ … fuck me… _fuckmm…_ ” Maura whined, tugging at his hair, kissing his jaw and neck as he thrust hard inside her. His hand squeezed her thigh, gripping her tight as he moved against her, the pictures on the wall beside them swaying. “Alex…” 

He buried his face in her neck, using all his strength to hold her up against that wall, her hips angled hard into his. “I fookin’ love yeh…” He whispered, sucking at the softest spot on her neck.

“Oh god,” Maura whimpered, feeling Alex’s stomach tighten against her, knowing he was going to cum any second. “Alex…” She chanted his name like a hymn, holding him tight against her as he came for the second time that evening, growling into her neck. 

She stroked his hair and his neck and down his back, feeling the taught muscles as he held her up. He kept fucking her until he got her there, holding her hips down onto his cock as she shook her way through another orgasm. 

He’d lost track now.

Their breathing was erratic as they struggled to get it in order, Alex still buried in Maura’s neck, kissing her softly. “Fuck.”

Maura exhaled, leaning her head back against the wall in his dark apartment. “Thought I was gonna combust on the way here.”

Alex chuckled against her neck and she followed suit, giggling as he slipped out of her and set her down. Her thighs ached when they came together, the muscles sore from the ride here and then from helping keep herself up. “Do I dare turn on the light?”

She giggled, “Not sure what to expect.” His hand on her waist, he reached over, flipping the switch by the door. They both blinked into the light, looking one another over. “I was expecting a laugh but, you look incredibly sexy.” 

Alex’s hair was a gorgeous, disheveled mess, his lips swollen and his white dress shirt pushed haphazardly off his shoulders. His eyes were bright and mischievous she stroked her finger down the length of his nose. 

“Y’lways do, love.” He smiled, kissing her softly. 

“Wait,” She murmured, and pushed him away so she could pull her sweater over her head. Her hair collected all the electricity and Alex laughed as he tried to smooth it while she took off her bra. “That’s better.”

Alex nodded in appreciation as she pushed his shirt off, too. “I have to say; I’ve never given a naked tour of me flat before.”

With smirk she replied, “I’m honored to be the first.”

//

“This is exactly what I pictured.” Maura grinned, examining Alex’s bookshelf while he made tea. It was quite a juxtaposition; fevered fucking then on to English tea. He’d given her clothing to change into not long after they’d arrived; cozy stuff to keep her warm. They smelled like him.

“Wot?” Alex asked her from the tiny kitchen where he was busy digging out mugs.

“Your place.” She murmured, running her fingertips over the spines of books that contained the words of great authors. His taste was varied, and he had quite a lot of poetry. Somehow, that didn’t surprise her. There seemed to be no method of organization; especially not with the random piles of books on various surfaces throughout his living room. If there was a space to jam a novel or two, he’d managed.

It was incredibly endearing. 

He chuckled, as the kettle whistled, “Why’s that?”

“I dunno, after I first met you I just tried to imagine what your home would look like.”

“Good? Bad? Indifferent?” He asked as he handed her a steaming hot mug.

“Good.” She grinned, blowing on the liquid. “I didn’t know you were into poetry.”

Alex shrugged, “I guess I like it all realeh. Whatever information I can get me ‘ands on. Just give meh all the knowledge.”

Maura loved that about him. He was so intelligent, and not in a know-it-all kind of way; just genuine curiosity. She watched him fiddle with his stereo, which was probably the most expensive thing in the apartment, aside from his laptop.

“Any requests?”

Maura joined him leaning her head on his shoulder, taking in the sheer amount of vinyl he had stacked along the wall. “Um… I don’t know if I could choose. You have so much.” She kissed his shoulder as she often did, “Play me your favorite. You must have one…”

He did in fact have a favorite; it was next to all the other albums he kept in heavy rotation. “Alreyt, love.” He kissed the top of her head and gave her bum a gentle pat as she went off to explore some more.

There were lots of photos in his home; of him and his friends when they were younger, and what had to be his parents. He looked like a perfect mix of the both of them. He looked more like his mum though, the same aquiline nose and crinkles at the corners of his eyes. Maura wanted to meet them. It was probably too soon to suggest it, but after learning about their history and seeing a picture of them, she desperately wanted to.

There were framed gig posters on his walls, and various odds and ends, but despite it all, his style was very specific; mid-century modern and retro. All his furniture came from the very same era that she loved so much. She spotted a photo of a young David Bowie and an acoustic guitar in the corner. 

“Are you going to finally sing for me this weekend?”

“Ahhh…” Alex laughed, as he fiddled with the knobs of the stereo, adjusting the volume. “Maybeh.”

“Maybe?!” Maura exclaimed, “Not fair. You promised me. And your guitar’s here. _And_ there’s no one around.”

Alex wound his arms around her, “I know but…”

“You promised.”

He swayed them a little, slow-dancing in the middle of his living room, their bare feet touching. “I did promise. Get meh good and drunk and I’ll sing for yeh, babeh.”

Maura giggled, her eyes sparkling. “Where’s the wine? I can’t wait.”

Alex laughed and held her closer, and she rested her head on his chest, spinning in circles like the record that crackled on the stereo. “Weh’ve gotta stop holding out on seein’ each other all week, yeh know.”

“Never again.” She agreed, her eyes drifting closed. Maura couldn’t think of any other place she’d rather be then right here in his arms.

Alex rest his chin on her head, thinking back on the past few hours. “Although… the sex is pretty great when weh ‘old out.”

Maura snorted and then burst into laughter, “Today was… _”_

“Eye-opening.” Alex drawled, “I didn’t expect a single bit of that from yeh.”

“Me neither.”

“Just continuously bringin’ out the best in yeh.” 

“I’m addicted.” She looked up at him with a smirk, “Making me into a fiend, Mr. Turner.”

“Yeah, I like it.”

//

“How did yeh manage teh choose clothing for the weekend? Is that a never-ending bag, Miss Vaughn? Like Mary Poppins?” Alex peeked into the small leather backpack Maura had brought with her. For the clothes horse she was, there was surprisingly very little in there.

“I’m trying to be good.” Maura explained, “And I didn’t think I’d have much use for clothing…”

Alex’s eyebrow arched, “Touché.” 

“Besides, why bring clothes when I could steal yours?” 

They were getting ready to head out that morning, but that was after Maura woke Alex up that morning in the mood. 

_She kissed his scruffy chin, the faint five o’clock shadow tickling her lips. “Mmm… wake up, Alex.”_

_He kept his eyes shut tight to mess with her, even though the smile on his face couldn’t be contained._

_Maura knew he was awake, but she played along. She nipped at his jaw, before deciding to crawl on top of him. She straddled his naked waist and pulled the sheet up around them. “Come on, baby… wake up and satisfy your woman.”_

_Alex chuckled and Maura grinned against his cheek._

_“Pretty please?” She purred, her warm hands massaging his neck, and behind his ears. “Make love to me, Turner.”_

_Alex moaned at the feel of her soft lips gently kissing his face all over. She had a gentleness to her touch that he hadn’t realized he needed so badly. Her fingernails scratched at the hair at the nape of his neck, and he waited a second longer before surprising her and grabbing her waist, rolling them over in his bed._

_Maura screamed, a peel of laughter following. “Mmm…” Alex nuzzled her nose with his own, pecking at her tenderly. “What a wake up call.” He held her at the back of her neck, kissing at the bow in her lip that he loved so much. “I could get used to it.”_

He watched hershimmy into the same pair of tight Levi’s she’d worn the first time they’d gone for a drive, her breasts swaying.

“I’ve just decided that I like watchin’ yeh get dressed just as much as I like yeh takin’ yehr clothes off.” Alex observed from where he was sprawled out on the bed still. “Yeh look good just like that, let’s go.”

Maura gave him a look as she clasped her bra and slid the straps up her arms. “You already had me half naked on your bike last night…” 

“I wouldn’t say _half_ …” He teased as she placed her knee between his legs, tucking her hair behind her ears, and crawling over him.

“A very important… _quadrant_ was exposed.” 

Alex snorted, “ _Quadrant_.”

“That’s right,” She kissed him and grasped shirt in her fists, “Can you not shave today?”

“Wasn’t plannin’ on it.”

“Mmm… g _ood._ You look sexy with scruff.”

“Hmm…” Alex considered this as she stood up. 

“Can I go through your closet?” She grinned sweetly and Alex nodded wondering what items of his she’d choose to wear.

“There’s more in the drawers if yeh don’t fancy anythin’ in there.”

Her muffled voice came from the wardrobe, “You have amazing boots. And leather jackets.”

Alex grinned, loving the effortless of being with her. He never felt anxious or worried; he was always calm and at ease with her. Maura had been the very person Alex had been looking for for a very long time and he hadn’t even known he was in the market. He didn’t ever want her to leave. He wanted every day to be like today.

“Can I wear this one?” She asked suddenly appearing holding a navy blue sweater up.

“Of course, love.” 

“Mmm, it’s so soft. It smells good like you.” She held the sweater to her nose and breathed it in. “I know you’re right here and I could smell you, but… there’s something about the way it lingers on your clothes that’s so romantic.”

Alex’s mum had been right. He was a romantic sap, and as much trouble as Maura and him got into, he was a sucker for the sweet stuff; the slow-dancing and the clothes-sharing; making dinner together and staying up all night talking. He was so madly in love with her, that now when the nagging voice in his head tried to remind him that she was only here temporarily; he completely ignored it. He wanted to do everything with her _now,_ and not worry about the future.

Maura was rummaging through his drawers, looking for a t-shirt. He had a good collection; all worn in and well-loved. It was hard to choose. “Oh my god I’m wearing this!” She cried and pulled his beloved black Triumph shirt from the drawer. “Should I get a helmet with the Union Jack on it? Is that too much?”

Alex laughed, “Yeh would pick that one. And no… whatever yeh choose is gonna look brilliant on yeh.” He watched her finish getting ready, marveling at how cute she was in his things. 

“Yeh readeh to ride, babeh?”

“Can’t wait. I’m so ready.” 

“Yeh know, sometimes, I feel like yeh hang wif meh just for me bike.”

“Damn it. You figured me out.” She teased, and he smacked her ass as she headed through the door.

“Cheeky.”

//

“Do we lose our street cred by having a picnic?” 

Maura asked Alex, pushing her sweaty hair from her forehead while she chewed thoughtfully on her cheese and cracker combination.

Alex reclined beside her in the grass, the bottle of wine and various snacks scattered between them. “Erm… two university professors on an Autumnal outing on their weekend off pretty much negates the street cred.”

“But we are drinking wine straight from the bottle.” Maura pointed out, before taking a gulp. “That’s gotta count for something.”

Alex took the bottle from her, “Yeh don’t think drivin’ the bike all on yehr own leveled yeh up?”

“That’s true! I’ve got street cred.” 

“I think maybeh usin’ the term ‘street cred’ just ruined us straight from the beginnin’.” 

There hadn’t been a more perfect day in ages. The leaves were nearly turned, and the breeze blew just cool enough to necessitate Maura’s light layers. Alex made her wear one of his leather jackets to ride out of the city, and she’d picked out her new helmet. 

_“Yeh look just like Françoise Hardy in_ Grand Prix _.”_

_Maura’s jaw dropped, “Seriously?” Françoise was an icon of hers. He couldn’t have paid her a higher compliment._

_“With the way yehr fringe falls, and the retro fit of the helmet… yeh’re a ringer. Except yeh’re a thousand times sexier than her.”_

_Maura was checking herself out in the little mirror at the vintage bike shop, and she grinned at Alex in the reflection. “I’m sexier than Françoise Hardy? You’re too good to me.”_

_“Not lyin’, love.” He told her, his arms sliding around her waist. “And yeh’re happy. I can see it on yehr face. This is the one. Fits yehr aesthetic and all that.”_

_Maura laughed, covering her face with her hands. “Oh my god… my aesthetic. I am pretty dead-set on the look aren’t I?”_

_He nodded, biting at her shoulder, “It’s perfect. Let’s get it.”_

_Alex had refused to let her buy it, and he even insisted she get the motorcycle gloves she liked in the front window._

_“Yeh’ve gotta look cool, babeh. Get the gloves.”_

The helmet which sat besides Alex’s in the grass, was mostly white, with red and blue stripes at the top and a yellow sixty-six in the back. It couldn’t get any more sixties looking. She loved it.

“I wish I could get my license while I’m here…” She lamented, knowing full well there was no point when she had to go home in less than a year. Besides, she was almost positive she couldn’t obtain one without being a citizen of the UK.

“There’s no reason. Just keep ridin’ with meh, and yeh won’t need one. I don’t trust yeh on the main roads yet, anyways. It’s yehr second time out.” He picked at a blade of grass, blocking out the thought of her leaving him once again.

“You’re right. I’m definitely not a pro yet.” 

The sun started to fall from the sky, and Maura found herself in between Alex’s legs, leaning back against his chest. They’d been talking for nearly an hour, enjoying being alone in the quiet, learning all they could about each other. Alex was terrible at drawing, but he was a master at the yo-yo. Maura broke her wrist doing a cartwheel when she was eight, and would only eat cereal for dinner when she was twelve. Alex loved Batman but was stuck being Robin all the time when he was growing up with the neighborhood kids, and Maura had seen every single movie Alfred Hitchcock ever made. They both had similar taste in music and food, and they both dreamed of moving to California one day.

“Let’s say weh’ll go.” Alex told her, his lips at her ear, tickling her when he kissed her.

“To California?” She asked him, drumming her fingers on his bare kneecap through the hole in his denim. She’d never been.

“Yeah. Weh’d fit right in the pair of us. Weh’re made for it.”

Maura could see it in her head; they’d spend their days at the beach, and Alex’s skin would get all sun-kissed and golden. “I’d have no problem leaving my hometown behind; but could you leave Sheffield? You love it here.”

Alex shrugged, “I could do it. I’ve lived ‘ere me whole life. Wanna see summat new. And different. And not rainy.”

Maura smiled and bit her lip. “Alright, let’s do it.”

“Weh can just run away together…” Alex whispered in her ear and she giggled. “I’d go anywhere for yeh, Maura.”

//

“Alright, how much more wine do you need before you’ll sing for me?” 

Alex made a face, slumped down on the couch, his glass still full, one bottle completely down. “Dunno. More. I sang to yeh a bit today!”

“Doesn’t count. You were barely speaking above a whisper. I want full-on singing. I wanna hear you belt it.” 

Alex growled. He hadn’t sung, _really sung_ for anyone in years. He was too self-conscious about it now. Even in front of Maura. 

“What if I put on a record, and you sang along with it?” 

“Alreyt… weh’ll see how this goes.”

He took a large gulp of his wine, thinking maybe it’d help. It didn’t. It just made him exponentially more aware of the fact Maura was trying to get him to sing.

“Honestly? _This_ is the album yeh put on?”

Maura’s eyes were wide when she spun around holding the album cover. “ _With A Little Help From My Friends_ is one of the best albums of all time.” She looked down at it and looked up at him with a grimace, “Although, arguably there’ve been better covers out there.”

It was an unflattering photo of Joe, but a recognizable one nonetheless. So, in theory. It worked.

“Sure, but… Joe Cocker. Yeh think I can sing like Joe Cocker? Please.” Alex scoffed, flattered that she thought he was better than he actually was. He’d never gone to any classes for it. Just got a guitar for Christmas once as a teenager, and started messing around with lyrics and chords. 

“Well I don’t know!! He’s amazing. I thought maybe…”

“Nobodeh’s got a voice like ‘im.” Alex shook his head, taking another sip. “Even if I smoked a couple of packs of cigarettes and drank a bottle of whiskey every day, I could never get that gritty, gravely sound.” 

“I guess I can’t judge if you won’t actually let me hear your voice. So…” She grabbed the bottle of wine and topped off both their glasses. “I’ll just continue to get you drunk.”

//

They never made it to Alex’s bed that night, both of them too tired to move once the wine set in. 

“Wine was a bad choice.” Maura murmured sleepily, tucked beneath Alex’s arm. With any other couple, this arrangement would’ve never worked, but they were both small enough to fit comfortably stretched out side by side. “I can’t hang anymore.”

Alex chuckled, kissing her temple and rubbing her back as they began to drift. “It’s been a long week, and weh barely slept last night.”

“Mmm… true.” She breathed, tangling her leg around Alex’s. “Thought we’d have another round like that tonight.”

“Fookin’ insatiable.” He whispered teasingly, wishing he had any kind of strength at all to get off the couch and take her to bed. But he was so tired and she was so warm and soft, and nearly asleep. He didn’t want to move her now.

“Hey,” Maura whispered long after Alex thought she’d fallen asleep. 

He sat up just slightly, worried that she was uncomfortable, “Love, what’s wrong?”

Maura smiled at the worry that furrowed Alex’s brow. Smoothing it out with the tip of her finger, she stroked his nose before lacing her fingers with his. “Nothing. I’m in love with you,” She breathed softly, her eyes sparkling, “And I couldn’t go to sleep another night without telling you.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must admit that I ate a lot of black raspberry ice cream last night to get me through the rest of this chapter. Sometimes that writer’s block hits you right in the middle of the process and it’s so frustrating. But the good news is, chapter seven is finally here, and your favorite teachers are back and better than ever. They’re cute and sexy and sweet and dirty and they love each other a whole lot. What kind of trouble can Miss Vaughn get herself into this time with Mr. Turner? 
> 
> Enjoy my loves xx

OCTOBER - Mid-term

“Yes, Miss Vaughn?”

Maura’s heart raced as she stood in the doorway of Alex’s classroom, mid-lecture. She was currently in-between classes with some extra free time, and sitting at her desk in her silent classroom while she could hear him talking through the wall was enough to drive her insane. So, instead of thinking with her head, she went with her heart (and the ache between her legs) and headed down the hall to his classroom. It was an _extremely_ bold move, but being with Alex was making her do crazy things.

“Could I borrow you for a moment, Mr. Turner?” She asked, concocting the most convincing poker face she could muster. Inside however, she was squirming. 

Sure, they’d met by his bike that morning, feverishly making out against the tree, knee deep in fallen leaves, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more. 

_This is so fucking dumb._

Alex raised an eyebrow at her.

_Oh no. Don’t do that. Not right now._

He got up from his perch on his desk, the jacket he’d been wearing earlier hanging on the back of his chair. Now he was just tight grey slacks and a dress shirt, his stupidly sexy hair falling in his eyes as he walked towards her. His brow was knitted together, concern all over his features. 

_Shit. He thinks there’s something wrong._

“Everythin’ alreyt?” Alex asked her softly as he got closer, and a highly mature student in the front row made a sound that had the classroom giggling. Alex cut them a dirty look, and they immediately shut up.

Maura’s hand wrapped around the doorknob behind her, and she twisted it, opening it as she backed out, Alex following suit. Once in the empty hallway, Maura looked around and Alex repeated his question. 

“Maura, I asked what’s-” 

But she cut him off with a crash of her lips to his, safe in the privacy of the little alcove leading to his classroom. Surprised, Alex moaned into her mouth, relaxing now that he’d realized it wasn’t anything serious.

Maura kissed him hungrily, with more desire than she’d felt two minutes ago in her room. Seeing him like this, sneaking in a quick kiss… it fired her up.

She sighed as she let him go, a satisfied smile on her face. Alex took her face in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers. “Wot… may I ask, do yeh think yeh’re doin’ Miss Vaughn? Tryin’ to get us both fired?”

“I couldn’t help it.” She breathed, “I could hear you through my wall… and this morning… It wasn’t enough.”

Alex’s smile reached all the way up to the corner’s of his eyes, “Not enough, eh?” He kissed her nose, “Me insatiable girl…” 

She giggled, “I know… I wasn’t thinking with my head.”

He raised his eyebrows, looking her over, “What _were_ yeh finkin’ wif then?”

“Is there anyone around?” She hummed softly, their lips just touching. 

“No.” 

Taking his hand, she slid it beneath her skirt, and between her legs, the tips of his fingers brushing against her knickers.

“ _Seriously_ Maura?” He growled, and she squeezed her thighs tighter.

“But I’m aching, Alex.”

He groaned, “I can’t… reyt now… this is…” 

“Too much. Bad idea.”

He pecked at her lips, “Very bad idea.” Kissing her again, he pulled away. “I have to. I have to fucking teach this class now.”

“After?”

“ _After_?!” Alex hissed with a soft chuckle, “Where do yeh propose weh manage that?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know. A supply closet?”

His eyes narrowed as he considered the idea, but he shook his head trying to erase the image. “No… that’s… so fuckin’ risky…”

“I need you though.” She breathed with a laugh, “I can’t wait.”

“ _Maura_.” He growled, the smile still on his face, his hair in his eyes. “Come to mine after school.”

She tightened her grip on his forearms, and kissed him again. “Mmm… still four hours to go.”

“Babeh, yeh gotta let meh finish this class… I’m readeh to run away wif yeh reyt now…”

“I’m ready, too.” She giggled and let him go, “I’m going… sorry for interrupting your class, _Mr. Turner_.” 

He ran his hands through his hair, watching her as she sauntered away. “I’ve created a fuckin’ monster…” He breathed, straightening his shirt before heading back into the classroom.

“Everythin’ alreyt, Mr. Turner?” One of the girls in the front row asked, concern on her face. She’d suspected, along with her group of friends, that there was something between their teachers, and she loved the idea. 

“It’s fine.” Alex breathed deeply, heading back to the desk as he pushed his sleeves up. He snatched up the book he’d left face down on the desk, “Where were weh?”

“Yeh would make a cute couple.” Her friend chimed in, and Alex coughed. He couldn’t look up, _his_ poker face was absolutely terrible.

“Alreyt now. None of that.”

“Yeh would!” She exclaimed and the girls giggled, “Ms. Vaughn is so pretty and sweet. Someone as hot as you should beh with someone like ‘er.”

Alex sighed, desperate to hide the smile on his face. “Weh’re just… erm… fr-… co-workers.” He quickly corrected himself, hoping they’d drop it now.

“The way yeh look at ‘er though…”

_Am I that fuckin’ obvious?_

“Can weh just get on wif the rest of the readin’?”

“Sorreh, professor. And sorreh for sayin’ yeh’re hot.”

Alex grinned a little, “Well now, don’t apologize for that.” He looked up when the class laughed, “I’m fuckin’ kiddin’. Knock that off, now. Back to Oedipa Maas, our postmodernist heroine.” 

//

“We ever gun’ teh make it to me bedroom? Or should I just move the mattress into the hallway?” 

Maura burst into laughter, covering her face as she leaned into Alex’s chest. Once again, she’d jumped him upon entry, forcing him to drop his things as they fell to the floor in an excited, frenzied heap of limbs. 

_Alex bunched her skirt up around her waist, his very favorite skirt; foregoing any other removal of clothing before getting right to it. Her loafers slipped off her heels as she rocked back and forth on top of him._

_“Oh… Maura…” Alex breathed, sliding his hands up her back beneath the black turtleneck. “Keep doin’ that, babeh…”_

_She chewed her lip, grinding against him, still aching for the release she’d craved all day long. “I needed you so bad… hearing your voice from the other room…” Maura exhaled a lustful sigh, one hand beside his head, the other clutching his shirt. She rode him harder, her hand at his neck, gazing down at him. Her thumb brushed across his lips, and she leaned down to taste them, to feel them against hers after fantasizing about them all day._

_Alex wrapped his arms around her, and she lay flush against him, her breasts pressed against his chest. “I love yeh so much…” He whispered against her ear, holding her tighter as she fucked him._

“I couldn’t help myself!” Maura cried, sitting up in his lap. 

Alex smiled, loving how wild her hair looked, her bangs sweaty and stuck to her forehead; her cheeks pink and soft. “I love it. I love yeh.”

She smiled, a lopsided, satisfied grin. “That’s twice in fifteen minutes.”

“Wot?” He narrowed his eyes, mimicking her smile.

“That you’ve said you love me.”

He leaned up on his elbows, “That’s because I do. Madly.”

“Not as much as I love you.” She giggled, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. “Can we just do this all night?”

“That’s fine wif me.” Alex grinned, thrusting his hips up into her a few times. 

She clutched his chest for balance, “Oh my god… wasn’t prepared for that. Rubbed me just the right way…”

“Oh realeh…” He arched his eyebrow, and reached for her again when the sound of his phone buzzing across the hardwood floor snapped both of their attention. “Who the fuck…”

“Want me to look?” She offered, stretching her body over him to grab it where it must’ve landed in the fall. “Hmm… Helders.”

“ _Shit._ ” Alex cursed, swiping open the message. “He’s downstairs.”  
“ _What?!_ ” Maura exclaimed, scrambling off of Alex’s lap and getting to her feet on very shaky legs.

“Fuck. I completely forgot.” Alex cursed, tucking himself back into his trousers. He was supposed to grab dinner with Matt tonight; they’d been planning it for a few days, but it’d slipped Alex’s mind that afternoon.

“Oh my god… I need to… I’m using your bathroom!” Maura snatched up her bag and took off into Alex’s flat to fix herself up.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” Alex muttered, grabbing his things up as well, doing his best to fix his clothes and straighten his hair. He felt like a complete asshole for forgetting his plans with his oldest and best friend. 

Alex swung open the door when he heard the knock, “‘ey!”

Matt took one look at him, “Yeh forgot.” 

“Wot?” 

“C’mon Al… got the world’s worst poker face.” Matt clapped his shoulder as he walked past him, just as Maura was coming back from the bathroom. They both froze upon seeing one another. He looked Alex up and down in his disheveled state, and then to Maura who looked slightly _less_ on account of having fixed herself up in the mirror. But still, the signs were all there.

Alex cleared his throat, his hands on his hips and Maura waved weakly, “Hey Matt, good to see you again.”

“Pleasure.” He smiled, the dimples in his cheeks as prominent as the twinkle in his eyes. “Didn’t expect teh see yeh ‘ere, Maura.” He arched his eyebrow at Alex and he opened his mouth to explain but, he couldn’t form the words.

“I didn’t know you and Alex had plans, so I’m just gonna go, actually-” Maura felt awkward, not because she felt like she wasn’t welcome, but because it seemed as if Alex hadn’t told Matt that they were together. Weren’t they best friends? Feeling silly and slightly heartbroken, she went to grab her bag.

“No, no! ‘Ey!” Both Matt and Alex stopped her, “Yeh don’t ‘ave teh leave, just came to grab a pint with Al. I’m not some sort of dickhead; yeh can come, too.”

“Um…” She glanced at Alex; his cheeks still flushed, his hands on his slender hips in those stupid grey slacks that had caused so much trouble. 

“Yeah, love. Please don’t leave.” His eyes were big and round and soft; nearly impossible to say no to.

“Alright… if you’re sure…”

“I’m fine wif it. The more the merrier. Should probably get teh know the woman who’s get me mate all starry-eyed.”

Maura felt her face turn a thousand shades of red, mostly from shame for thinking that Alex didn’t want to tell anyone about her. _How ridiculous are you, Maura? You idiot. Look at the way he looks at you_.

And he was. Alex hadn’t taken his eyes off her the entire time, completely and totally infatuated with everything about her. Alex was mostly a private person, but he was slightly proud that Matt had caught them this way. It’d been a long time since Alex had been in love, and this time was far more serious than the last. 

//

“Should you lot be drinkin’ on a school night like this?” Matt smirked as he took one last swill of his beer, setting the glass down on the table, the last of the foam sliding down the sides.

“It’s much deserved after today…” Alex explained, nearly done with his second as well.

Maura giggled, “Yeah… what a wild Wednesday…”

Alex cut his eyes at her and squeezed her knee beneath the table, “ey you…” He warned, the two of them exchanging secret, conspiratorial glances, not meaning to make Matt feel left out on purpose. 

“Are you two allowed to be like this at school?” He asked, wondering how they were able to behave at their place of work. Surely it was likely to be frowned upon.

“Erm… no? No weh’re not.”

“Makes it very difficult to concentrate,” Maura grinned into her glass, finishing it off. “I probably shouldn’t have anymore… gotta get back tonight. Class tomorrow.”

Alex pouted. He hadn’t thought about that. They were having so much fun it felt more like a weekend. “Yeh don’t _have_ to leave tonight…” He murmured, his hand on her thigh.

“ _Alex_ …” Maura whispered. “Yes. I do. I don’t have anything with me.”

“Well.” He huffed, “Weh should change that.”

Both Matt and Maura looked at Alex, who’d in so many words, invited his girlfriend to keep her things at his place more permanently. 

“Um…” Maura giggled nervously while Matt announced he was going to get more drinks. “Alex…”

He squeezed her thigh, “Maura. I can’t do the whole waiting for the weekend thing. I also can’t bear sendin’ yeh ‘ome at night like that… Just keep some stuff at mine. Doesn’t ‘ave teh beh a lot…”

“If only I’d met you before getting my own flat,” She smiled, tucking his hair behind his ear. “You don’t think it’s too much?” 

“No…” He whispered, pressing his lips to hers. “Unless you do…”

“Will you stay at mine sometimes, too?” She hummed, trying to not get too lost in his kisses. They were after all, in a bar with his best friend and other patrons.

“How could yeh even ask that, _Miss Vaughn_ …” 

Maura giggled as Alex slid his hand up her thigh, “Matt’s coming back… we can’t keep doing this in front of him… that’s not fair.”

“Stay with me tonight.” He replied, looking into her eyes so soft and sweet.

“So unfair.” She whispered. “Yes. I’ll stay.”

His eyes sparkled and he squeezed her thigh again. After that he vowed to cool it while they were out. He couldn’t be this way all the time; Maura wasn’t going anywhere.

“Alreyt… now that you two have untangled yehrselves from one another… weh can realeh talk about why weh’re ‘ere.” Matt looked at Alex with a grin.

“What’s going on?” Maura exclaimed, excited for no reason, except for the look on both their faces. 

“Al’s annual Halloween parteh.”

“Party? What? You guys celebrate Halloween here?” Now she had a legitimate reason to be excited.

Alex laughed, nodding his head. “It’s still fairly new ‘ere… but I’ve been doin’ it for a few years.”

“He throws all the parties.”

A smile spread across Maura’s face, “You throw all the parties? I didn’t know that.”

Matt’s dimples showed when he smiled, “He’s the best. This year should beh another cracker.”

“Definitely.” Alex agreed, sliding his phone from his back pocket to get to his notes. “Yeh’re in charge of music again, yeah?”

“Of course. Alreadeh got it started. Couple of our old favorites are on there. It’s comin’ up quick, Al. I told most of the crew but, couldn’t hurt to text ‘em again.”

“Reyt. I can do that.”

“What can I do to help?” Maura asked, already thinking of costumes she could whip up.

“Oh yeh’re not invited.” Alex said coolly, casting a teasing glance at her.

She shoved him, “You’re such a jerk! First you don’t even tell me about it, and then you tease me! You’re awful.”

“I’m not, love. I’m just messin’ wif yeh. C’mere…”

Maura scowled and scooped up her pint while Alex threw his arm over her shoulder and hugged her close. 

“Yeh know I want yehr help, love… can’t do it without yeh. And yeh’re gonna meet all me friends, too… gotta fink of summat realeh good to go as.”

//

“What are yeh doin’ love?” Alex asked from the bathroom where he was brushing his teeth. Maura was rummaging through his closet again.

“Looking for something I can wear tomorrow…” They’d never get to her place and then to school on time, so she decided she’d wear Alex’s clothes. Her skirt and turtleneck combo was too obvious to repeat; _everyone_ would remember she wore it the day before.

Alex paused his brushing, wondering how she was going to manage that. “‘ow are yeh gun ‘teh do that?”

“I think if I find a tight enough fitting dress shirt… I can pair it with some of your looser pants… wear it with my loafers. I can do it.” She said confidently, still standing there in her outfit from that day, barefoot, pushing through hangers of clothing. “It’s like… the original boyfriend-wear.”

He grinned, despite the toothbrush and the foam that threatened to drip down his chin. He quickly caught it as he watched her, momentarily spitting in the sink before leaning against the doorframe. Alex watched as she meticulously compared his shirts and pants, pairing them up on the bed where her shoes laid at the bottom on the floor.

“Hey I’m just gonna try some stuff on!” She shouted, glancing in Alex’s direction not realizing he was standing right there. “Oh my god…” She laughed, clutching her chest, “Didn’t know you were watching me like that…”

Alex just smirked, continuing to brush his teeth.

“You’ve been brushing for like… fifteen minutes now… don’t you think your teeth are clean yet?”

He held up his finger and disappeared to rinse his mouth, “Just wanted minty fresh breath so I can make out with me girl before bed.” He squeezed her hips as he sauntered past her, lying back on the bed.

Maura bit her lip. Staying over Alex’s place was still something fairly new despite how comfortable they’d become with one another so quickly. “Make out.”

“Make out. Make love.” He smirked at her, arms folded behind his head.

“Now who’s trying to get us in trouble?” She pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it at his face. Alex slid it down just as she was shimmying out of her skirt. “I’m just gonna try this on really quick and then… I’m yours.”

“I like the sound of that.” 

Maura winked at him as she buttoned up one of his white shirts, and slid on a pair of his pants. “Just need a belt…” She murmured and Alex instructed her on where to look. “There. I think this works, right?”

Alex was a bit stunned. He had to admit he wasn’t sure how it was going to work out at first. “I don’t know ‘ow it is that yeh manage to look sexy in me clothes like that… but yeh do.” 

“Is it too sexy for school?” She frowned, not really seeing it.

“Not at all. It’s how I see yeh. Yeh made me clothes look cool on yeh.”

She checked herself out one last time, before stripping down to her lingerie again. “You make it easy with your surprisingly decent male fashion sense. And that you’re not like. A giant compared to me.”

He raised his eyebrow, “Should I beh offended by that?”

“Absolutely not. I love you exactly how you are.” She tugged on his ankle, “Where did you put my toothbrush?”

“Above the sink.”

Maura slipped away into his little bathroom that was just big enough to contain a tub, a toilet and the sink. And the vanity mirror above the sink. That’s it. It was very sweet and simple and surprisingly cozy. Alex had taken her toothbrush out and popped it into the cup beside his on the shelf. The sight of it gave her the good kind of shivers. If anyone had asked her where she’d be two months into living in a new country… this would’ve been the last thing that came to mind. Two months.

She brushed her teeth, watching Alex’s feet fidget through the doorway at the end of the bed, and she smiled. Everything about him was too good to be true. Even stopping at a little market on the way home to get her a toothbrush, and whatever else she might’ve needed. He was too much. Too sweet. 

Back in his bedroom, she swiped one of his t-shirts, stripping down to nothing before pulling it on and climbing into bed with him. He held the blankets up as she snuggled in. He tangled his legs up with hers the second she was horizontal and Maura giggled at the kisses he was already planting all over her. 

“Waittttt wait…. we should make sure we’ve set alarms for the morning. We can’t be late.”

“Mmm… did it alreadeh…” Alex murmured against her neck, his hand creeping up her stomach. 

“Positive?”

“Yes, Miss Vaughn…” he hummed, “… should’ve just stayed naked… this silly shirt…”

“ _Your_ silly shirt.”

“Mmm…” His growl was soft as he took each of her hands and draped them over his shoulders.

Maura giggled, playing with his hair in the warm glow of his bedside lamp. “Do you shower in the morning?”

“Usually yeah… wanna join meh?”

More giggles ensued when Alex pressed hot kisses to her chest, hitching her leg up to wrap around his waist. “If I join you, we’ll never make it to class, Mr. Turner.”

His fingers traced over the the dip in her hips to the space between their two bodies met. Maura whimpered, laughing softly as he slid his finger through her folds, brushing over her clit. “Yeh sure… because I fink showering wif yeh would releah wake meh up…”

“You’ll be up alright…” She sighed, trying to lift her hips into his hand, but he had her pinned down. He scissored his fingers around her clit, applying the smallest bit of pressure, rutting his hips into her as he did so. His palm covered her pussy, fingers slipping inside her. “And _I’m_ the insatiable one…” She whispered teasingly, her lips parting, allowing for a moan to escape.

Alex studied her face in the dark room; the way the light from the window illuminated the bow in her lip, the tips of her eyelashes. “Can’t ‘elp it… got yeh in me bed on a school night, Miss Vaughn…”

Maura laughed through her moans, unable to focus on anything else but the feel of his fingers sliding in and out of her. Long, idling strokes. “Mmm… mmm… that feels so…” And then he curled them in a come hither motion and Maura’s legs fell open, her hips arching. 

“Yeh like that, babeh.?” Alex whispered into the dark, his voice somehow deeper, sexier than it was with all the lights on; or maybe it was just her heightened senses.

“ _Mmmdon’tstop_ …” She breathed, his cock hard against the inside of her thigh. Her nails scratched at the back of his neck and across his shoulders. 

His nose brushed against her jaw as he kissed his way to her ear, “Oh… now yeh want it, don’t yeh?”

Maura slid her hand between their bodies, her fingers lightly grasping the head of his cock, slowly slipping the foreskin up and down. Alex moaned into her, his fingers plunging into her deeper like a reflex. His mouth hovered open over hers as she teased him, stroking him exactly how he’d told her he liked it. 

“Like this, baby?” She purred against his lips, biting the bottom one and tugging. “Doesn’t it feel so good the way I do it?”

“Fook yes…” He nearly choked, the head of his cock so sensitive, especially when she went slow and teased him. 

“You taught me well,” She breathed into him and he growled, his trance suddenly broken as he kissed her hungrily, so turned on by those words. She wasn’t as shy with him anymore. He had loved that about her from the start, but that thought of her becoming so comfortable with him made him fall even deeper in love. 

Maura wrapped her hand around him, the best she could at the angle he was at, and slid her thumb over the tip eliciting another deep moan from him. “Mmm that feels so fookin’ good…”

She giggled at how his accent got heavier when they were fooling around. And before she knew what she was saying, she said it. “Pretty sure the thicker your cock gets, the thicker your accent gets…”

Alex paused, pulling back slightly, a look of amused disbelief on his face. “Wot. Did yeh joost say?”

Maura bit her lip, her eyes wide, “It’s true. I noticed. It’s an observation.”

“Seriously?”

Maura nodded, her hand still sliding up and down.

Alex raised an eyebrow, a look he knew had the capability of undoing her, “Never knew that. Never thought yeh’d say that either…”

She kissed his chin, “It does. Whenever you’re turned on. It’s heavier. It’s really sexy actually, so don’t be self-conscious about it.”

He chuckled, because this was precisely the kind of comment that he’d over-analyze when he didn’t have to. She knew him so well. “Alreyt… I won’t. Especialeh if yeh find it sexy.”

There was a long pause as they gazed into each other’s eyes in the dark.

“Wanna know what my favorite word is that you say?” Maura asked him with a sparkle in her eyes. 

Alex grinned, “Definitely.”

“I can’t… say it to your face though….” She giggled, her face flush.

“Love, yeh just said ‘cock’. Dunno what else could beh more difficult for yeh.”

She scrunched up her nose, “Mmm… c’mere…” She spread her fingers out on the back of his neck and pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear. “ _Cunt.”_ She breathed, and Alex physically felt her face get warm.

He smirked, absolutely dying. She was getting bolder, sure, but she wasn’t quite comfortable there yet. It was insanely adorable. “Thas the word that gets yeh, love?”

She nodded, her lips still pressed to his ear. “Instantly wet.”

“Well now that I know the magic word…”

Maura laughed, slightly embarrassed about her admission, but more excited because she knew he’d use it against her in the best way. She buried her face against his neck, breathing in the delicious smell of him. She felt his fingers wiggle inside her, his cock twitching in her hand. He slid out of her and massaged her thigh open wider, his hand over hers to take over stroking himself. Maura gripped the back of his neck tight when she felt him rub the head of his cock against her clit, teasing her before guiding himself inside her. 

Alex sighed as he filled her up, her walls slick and warm. Their hips met when he went as far as he could go, his dick hard and pulsing inside her. She was kissing his neck, her fingers in his hair when she nibbled on his earlobe, moaning as he settled against her.

“Maura…” He drawled her name, the cadence of his voice so deep it ignited a fire in the pit of her stomach.

“Yes…” She murmured, his earlobe between her teeth.

“Yehr cunt feels so good, babeh.”

//

_“Yehr cunt feels so good, babeh.”_

Maura squirmed in her seat, laying her massive book “The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage” open flat on her desk while her other hand pressed between her legs. She was aching again as she recalled Alex and his filthy mouth the previous night. She’d set herself up for it of course, and she knew it was coming eventually but, she would never be prepared for that. The way his voice sounded, how he caressed every word with his tongue, licking his lips, choosing everything he said so carefully. It was such a turn-on. 

_Alex grinned, pressing his nose against her temple when he felt a rush of wetness around his cock. “Mmm yeh weren’t lyin’ were yeh?” He hitched her leg back around his waist and thrust his hips into her harder, “Tell meh who makes yeh so wet, babeh?”_

_Her lips parted, open against his neck, sighing, “You, baby.”_

Behind her desk, between classes, she couldn’t get this image from her head. He’d fucked her slow last night, taking his time; teasing her with every thing he had. His hands and those gorgeous fingers of his. His lips and that tongue…

Maura groaned, gently rubbing her fingers against her clit through her pants. _His pants_. She was wearing his clothes. And she’d received so many compliments on her outfit. But even _that_ was connected to a dirty thought. 

_“Miss Vaughn… yeh look incredibly sexy this mornin’,” Alex drawled sleepily, coming back into the room with a cup of coffee for each of them. He was just wearing soft baby blue boxer briefs, and his hair was a mess. Mornings with him were increasingly becoming her favorite._

_Maura took the mug and before he let her sip it, he kissed her softly. “Mmm, morning.”_

_Alex winked at her, heading for his tiny bathroom. “Alreyt Miss Vaughn, it’s seven on the dot… last chance to join meh…”_

_She eyed his ass in those briefs, biting her lip as a less-satisfying trade to what she really wanted; to bite his peachy little bum. “Alex… you know nothing good would come of that.”_

_“Oh… things will come… yeh can beh sure of that…” He called over his shoulder, his voice thick with sleep._

_“I’m already half-dressed.”_

_“So half un-dress.”_

_“ALEX.”_

_She could hear his chuckle from the bathroom as the water turned on. “Suit yehrself, love.”_

_Maura’s head fell back as she groaned, standing in the middle of his bedroom, wearing his pants and nothing else, a mug full of coffee prepared exactly the way she liked it in her hands. She could hear him singing in the shower, not loud or obnoxious, like a soft croon. Her ears perked up and her eyes widened. He was_ singing _._ _She tip-toed to the bathroom and stood in the doorway listening. She didn’t recognize the tune, but it didn’t matter, his voice was incredible. Sexy and sultry despite how early it was. It cracked during a higher note and she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her lips when_ he _laughed at himself._

_Suddenly the curtain flew back, and Maura’s eyes grew three sizes. Like giant saucers. “Um…”_

_Alex’s hair was a wet, messy, shampooed tangle on his head and the water droplets stuck to his eyelashes and dripped down his nose. Just when she thought she couldn’t love him more…_

_“Forget yeh ‘aven’t ‘eard meh sing, yet.” His lips curled up slightly at the edges, his gentle brown eyes warm._

_“I love your voice.”_

_“Yeah?” He played it off like it didn’t matter, but it definitely fucking did._

_“It’s beautiful. And sexy.”_

_“Sexy enough to join meh in this shower reyt now?” His eyebrow arched and he lifted his chin, giving her a look she was having a very difficult time resisting._

_“Mmm…” Maura contemplated how long it would take her if she did get in. Her hair was the biggest problem. Bangs were a lot of work. “Can you promise not to get my hair wet?”_

_He shook his head, “Can’t promise that, love.”_

_“God damn it.” She hissed, rolling her eyes upwards as she unfastened his pants and let them fall to the floor in a puddle._

_“Yeah, babeh!!” Alex shouted, sliding the curtain open a little farther for her to climb in. Maura giggled as he helped her inside, careful that she didn’t slip. He wasted no time kissing her slightly puffy morning lips with his wet ones. “Mmm promise I won’t make us late, Miss Vaughn… just wanted teh run me ‘ands over yehr body beneath the spray…”_

_Maura’s eyes drifted close and she smirked, tilting her head back under the steam of water as Alex’s slid his hands down her sides to her hips. She was fucked. “You should keep singing,” She hummed before letting out a yell when Alex squeezed her ass._

_“Yeh should shut that beautiful mouth of yehrs and kiss meh,” He murmured thickly, covering her lips in another deep kiss._

“Fuck.” She whispered, physically waving her hand in front of her face to make the memories of that morning disappear for the time being. She caught someone stopping outside her window, casting her a strange look. She sunk lower into her chair, lifting her book up to hide her face and crossing her legs in a desperate attempt to act normal.

She was failing.

If people didn’t discover that Alex and her were together first, then she’d surely get fired for fantasizing or skipping off to the bathroom to touch herself. It was awful. But amazing.

She’d been reading the same page for the last forty minutes, a coincidentally titled sub-chapter, “I Can’t Get No”, which perfectly described her feelings at that very moment. _“—but it was hard to miss the sexual insinuation of the repeated “I can’t get no satisfaction”; the interruptus of “And I try, and I try, and I try”; the dare and taunt in the stop-starting “I can’t get no—”; the strut of all kinds of pleasure-hungry, thwarted, ravaged, and—what the hell—ravaging selves proclaiming once and for all that no-one was going to stop them when they cruised into the world to get whatever it was they hadn’t gotten.”_

“Interruptus.” Maura grumbled into the pages, “Why I thought reading about rock ‘n roll in the sixties would be void of sexual parallels is beyond me…I need a cold bucket of water kind of chapter…” She grumbled to herself as she skipped way ahead into the book. “Ah! _The Aftertaste of Teargas._ That should do it.”

//

“Turner.”

Alex glanced over his shoulder, hearing his name and spotting the headmaster. He hung back in the crowd of students to wait for him.

“Headmaster.” He nodded, running his hand through his hair. He cast his eyes down the hallway where his and Maura’s classrooms were, realizing that now he wouldn’t have time to sneak in for a quick visit before her next class. 

“Do yeh ‘ave some place to be, Turner?” He asked Alex, catching his expression.

“Erm… no. Not realeh. It’s nothin’. Is there summat yeh need from meh?”

“Turner, can’t yeh just call meh by me first name?” He lamented teasingly. After all, Alex had known Jack his entire life. Since he was old enough to know what it meant to know a person. He’d been a family friend to his folks since they got together. 

“Can’t you just call meh by mine?” Alex grinned as they lazed down the hall. 

“Tea?” Jack asked Alex as they made their way to his office.

Alex settled back into one of the comfortable armchairs opposite Jack’s desk as he started the electric tea kettle.

“Is this about Maura and I’s proposal?” He wondered aloud, flexing his fingers and running his hands down his thighs as a nervous tick. He’d always been a fidgeter. 

Jack’s eyes sparkled, “Interesting choice of words, Turner.”

“Wot?” Alex squinted his eyes, unsure of where he was going with this. 

“Ms. Vaughn,” He smiled, pouring hot water over Earl grey tea bags in each other’s respective mugs. “Yehr mum must absolutely love ‘er.”

Alex nearly choked, “Me mum? She ‘asn’t met me mum yet- erm… why would I introduce a random co-worker to me mum?” He stammered his way through his pathetic cover-up and Jack laughed, sitting behind his massive desk.

“Turner. Yeh can cut the act now. Yeh’d ‘ave teh beh blind not to notice the way yeh look at ‘er.”

Collapsing back into his chair, Alex growled lowly, “Fuckin’ ell.” 

Jack let out a loud, boisterous laugh, nearly spilling his tea in the process. “Figured I’d let yeh off the hook. Not sure how long yeh’ve been hidin’ it, but… seemed like there were summat there when yeh both met.”

“ _Wot_.” Alex breathed, the day he met Maura still very, _very_ fresh in his mind. The way her little loafers clicked down the hallway, how they slipped off her heels when she peered inside his classroom.

_“Do yeh want to end it ‘ere; call it a day?”_

_“No, no… I’m fine. Let’s keep going. This is good. I would be completely lost if I attempted to find my way on the first day.”_

_“Alreyt then, love… if yeh’re sure.”_

_“I am,” She grinned, smitten with the way he was concerned for her well-being. And with the way he called her ‘love’. Of course it was naturally a very British thing to say, but there was just something about the way Alex said it._

_“Good, because weh’ve just arrived in our wing,” He gestured to the hallway they’d only just stopped at._

_“Our?”  
Alex nodded, “Yeah… the history and literature department share the same area. Let’s see if we can’t find yehr room…” _

_He took off, moving a bit faster than his usual saunter, pointing out his classroom to her as they walked by. Maura stopped to peer in the window, curious to see what Mr. Turner’s personal space looked like. There were posters on the walls; artsy book covers and blown-up dialogue, perhaps left over from the spring term._

_Alex paused when he realized she was no longer beside him. He glanced back to where she stood, peering into his classroom window. She was stood on her tiptoes, the backs of her retro-looking heels slipping off her feet. The meeting today wasn’t formal at all, and she was dressed quite casual, but with a sophistication that suggested she was in tune with an era that wasn’t her own. There was a late-sixties look to the way she was styled, from the slight flare in her ankle-cropped jeans to the square heels of her pastel candy-hued, color-blocked shoes._

_She was certainly unlike the other women here._

“Eh, it doesn’t matter, Turner. Yeh’re both grown adults.” He sipped his tea, not minding the heat. “I know yeh’re tryin’ teh keep it a secret. But, I’m alreyt wif it. I’d advise yeh not to make a spectacle of yehrselves… in front of the other professors. And the students.”

The only image that flashed in Alex’s head was the time he bent her over his desk and fucked her. Heat crept up his neck to his face, hoping Jack wouldn’t notice. Had people figured them out? Did someone see them?

“Did… someone say summat, headmaster?”

He shook his head, “Not to meh, no. I just wanted to let yeh know yeh’re alreyt. I ‘ad a feelin’ when yeh made the proposal about the conjoined class which, by the way-”

Alex held his hand up, “If yeh’re about teh tell meh whether weh’ve got the go-ahead… I’d realeh rather yeh wait until Maura is ‘ere. This is just as much about ‘er as it is meh.”

Jack smiled wide, seeing a lot of Alex’s mother in his earnest expressions. “If that reyt there doesn’t tell meh yeh’re in love with that girl, then I dunno what does. But I won’t say anythin’. I’ll wait until yeh’re together.”  
Alex tapped the arms of the chair with his fingers, “Is there… some sort of rule about teachers…”

“Teachers and students, yes,” Jack laughed, “But not teachers wif teachers. Weh’ve ‘ad married couples work in the same building, Turner, in case yeh’ve forgotten.”

“Well… I dunno…” Alex shrugged, “Guess I weren’t sure ‘ow things work these days. Should’ve realized me folks were married and still taught ‘ere.”

“Exactly. Those were different times though, of course. I ‘ave teh tell yeh, I don’t know ‘ow the students will react once they find out.”

//

“ _Alex_ … student… student…” Maura hissed, turning her head and hiding her face a little in the shoulder of his leather jacket. It was Friday and that meant date night for the couple. They were at the theater, post-celebratory dinner, due to the fact that Headmaster had approved their proposal to carry on with a conjoined class for the second half of the semester. Maura was convinced they’d been given the go-ahead because Jack was a friend of the Turner family, even though Alex assured her that was absolutely _not_ the case. 

_“Love, I may beh friends wif ‘em, but he doesn’t always give me special treatment. He trusts meh because I’ve always been a good lad… but he adores yeh, too.”_

_“Adores me?” Maura scrunched up her nose, as she ate another spoonful of ramen. “How do you even know that? What did he say?”_

_“Well… he knows about us.”_

_Her eyes flew open and she covered her mouth with her napkin so as not to spit out the mouthful of noodles. “You_ told _him?”_

_“Wot? No! Absolutely not. He guessed. Apparently he’s known since weh met. Saw some look in me eyes.”_

_She stared at him, a smile beneath the cloth napkin, “A look in your eyes?”_

_Alex’s lip twitched into a smirk, “As if yeh didn’t alreadeh know that, Maura.”_

_“But still… he knew..”_

_“Yeah. And he also told meh that there’s nothing against two teachers being together. It’s ‘appened in the past… obviously. And that weh didn’t ‘ave to hide it… but weh also shouldn’t flaunt it either.”_

_“So…?”_

_“Dunno. He did say summat about ‘when the students find out’. Which. I must admit, I’m not quite sure wot that means.” Alex ate a few spoonfuls of his soup to catch up. They had an hour and a half until their movie began, and Alex needed plenty of time to get snacks before the show and settle in._

_Maura chewed her lip, “Hmm well… I think he means… some of the students… are kinda rooting for us.”_

_“Oh yeah…” Alex grinned, forgetting that he hadn’t told Maura what had happened in his classroom after their mid-day make-out in the hallway at the start of the week. “A couple of students… the female ones… approve of us bein’ together.”_

_“I think I know the group of girls you mean…” She laughed, explaining to Alex that they’d developed some sort of fan club._

_“Weh’ve got fans?” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the silliness of it. “Well then, I’m pretteh sure Headmaster is the president of the club.”_

“Wot?? Where?” Alex looked around, his arm still wound tight around her waist.

Sure enough, there were two of their mutual students heading in their direction to pass by them. It was too late to pretend that they’d seen each other, since they’d already made eye contact.

“What do we do?” She whispered, not having gone over any sort of tactics for seeing people they knew outside of school. They’d spent so much time shacked up or riding out in the country in the past two months that they hadn’t done much around people, in public. 

“Just erm… act casual. Remember, weh’re not doin’ anyfing wrong. Just two adults out at the movies, enjoying—”

“Mr. Turner… h-heyyyy…” One of the students stuttered, clearly not anticipating running into his professor off campus. “And…. Ms. Vaughn?” His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the way they were wrapped around one another, glancing quickly at the other student. 

Maura waved weakly, having observed the whole interaction, “Hi.” 

Alex sensed the nervousness in Maura’s voice and interjected. “What film do yeh ‘appen to beh seein’?” Alex was cool as a cucumber, as if the whole thing didn’t effect him. 

“Erm….”

“Is that the film version of the novel yehr next essay is about?” Alex’s eyebrow arched, trying to remain as authoritative as possible, while still remaining relaxed and approachable. It was a balance he’d mastered after so many years of teaching. It was what made him such a well-liked teacher. “Because, if it is… then I would imagine that yehr paper will blow me mind. After all yeh’ll ‘ave seen the movie _and_ read the book.”

Maura bit her lip, unable to hide her smile. What a charming way to sass these kids. She hadn’t had the opportunity to witness him like this with their students, and she imagined this kind of attitude was what made them like him.

“Oh… erm. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. It’s. So good. Yeh’re gonna love it.” The student stammered, making it blatantly obvious that he previously had no intentions whatsoever of reading the novel. 

“That’s incredible. I can’t wait actually.” Alex drawled, still so cool. “And I think it’s really amazin’ that yeh’ve gone ahead and seen the film version as well, since of course, the novel is _drastically_ different. Getting all the perspectives. I commend yeh for that. Nice one.”

The student looked like he was going to shit his pants. “Um. Yeah. Alreyt, well… better head off then…” He nudged his friend and they disappeared into the crowd of movie goers. 

Maura looked up at Alex as he watched them walk away, completely impressed with the way he’d handled that entire situation. “When’s the essay due, Mr. Turner?”

“Tuesday.” Alex said thickly, with a smile. “Probably weren’t the best idea to assign the book when the film came out, yeah?”

Maura giggled, “Not your most genius move. But… I think you got to them. They’re gonna stay up all night for the next three days reading, you know that right?”

“Good. Serves ‘em reyt. This is classic literature weh’re talkin’ ‘ere. They should take it fuckin’ seriously.” He chuckled, winking at her, and Maura squeezed his arm tighter. “What do yeh say, Miss Vaughn? Shall weh procure some snacks before we ‘ead in?”

Maura laughed again, kissing his shoulder. “Of course. Gotta satisfy that sweet tooth.” She teased him, “I need to get some Runts. Ooh! And Sour Patch Kids. Do you have those here?”

In the theater, loaded down with snacks, Maura sorted out the banana Runts and put them in a little condiment cup. 

“What’s wrong with the little bananas? Yeh don’t like ‘em?” Alex chuckled, already tucking in to his popcorn while the preview reel showed. 

“Nope. Hate ‘em. Banana-flavor is gross. Blue raspberry is the best. Do you want them?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll eat ‘em. Sweets are sweets, love.” 

She grinned, and continued sorting. “Did you know, that Sour Patch Kids were actually called Mars Men when they first came out? Because they were shaped like little space men. They changed them to children in nineteen-eighty five. The year I was born.”

“I didn’t know that. From Mars Men to Kids seems a bit morbid.” Alex changed the tone of his voice, and waved his hand, “Yeh know what, astronauts make awful sweets, let’s just switch ‘em to sour children; they make much more sense.”

Maura laughed, “A logical thought process. I am full of useless facts. You’re going to learn that.”

Alex leaned forward and caught the straw from their drink with his teeth and took a sip, “I love it. Yeh never know when yeh’ll need it.”

“That’s true. Could be the bonus question that wins you a million bucks.”

//

“Mmm, yehr bed is so much comfier than mine,” Alex drawled sleepily, still in a dream-like haze that Saturday morning.

Maura could feel his breath on the back of her neck, his nose buried there with his arm draped over her protectively. Alex was a cuddler, and she loved every second of it. Engulfed in a mountain of blankets on a crisp autumn morning with him wound around her was the only place she wanted to be.

“I know it is.” She giggled, feeling his teeth scrape against her lightly, nipping at the curve of her shoulder. “Not as comfy as my own back home though…” She added softly, feeling his arm tighten against her stomach.

“Back home. It’s hard to imagine you in a life other than this one.” He murmured, kissing her with dry, chapped lips. He suppressed the sick, sinking feeling in his gut as he always did, and tried to keep it light. They had seven more months together. That was all that mattered.

She could hear the tone in his voice and instantly regretted mentioning her home. He didn’t like talking about it and neither did she. So they often turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to it. “You should know that it’s significantly less amazing than my life here.” 

His thumb stroked her stomach in lazy circles, eyes closed as he pushed the thoughts of her leaving him far from his mind. 

“Hey…” Maura squirmed in his arms and turned to face him. His eyes were a soft, sleepy amber, his eyelashes dark and thick as they brushed against his cheeks with every blink. “… stop thinking bad things. I’m here right now. You have me all to yourself and I’m not going anywhere yet.”

“Yet.” He huffed as she stroked her finger down the length of his nose.

“Stop it,” She shushed him, “and focus your attention on your naked girlfriend in your arms… on a Saturday morning… with the whole weekend ahead of us again.” She peppered kisses to his face between her words and Alex chuckled, holding her closer if that were possible. She brushed his hair back from his forehead and tucked it behind his ear, “We’re gonna make halloween costumes… and go for a ride on your bike… and we’re probably gonna kiss a thousand and one times… probably have a lot of sex…”

Alex snorted.

“Post-halloween costume-crafting sex. Covered in glue and feathers.”

“Kinky.” He grinned and Maura laughed, kissing him.

“ _So_ kinky. But before all of that… I’m gonna make you coffee and then we’re gonna get dressed and I’m gonna take you to this breakfast place I found and we’re gonna fill your belly and then you can take me for a ride.”

“Yeh don’t wanna ‘ave a go yehrself today?” He asked in the softest voice, gazing at her in the bluish grey light of the morning.

She shook her head, “Nope. I just wanna wrap my arms around my boyfriend and let him take me on another adventure.”

“Alreyt. I can do that, love.” He spread his fingers open like wings on her shoulders and breathed her in deeply. “I’ll take yeh someplace weh’ve never been before.”

“Mmm… can’t wait.” She smiled happily, burrowing against him, her head fitting perfectly in the crook of his neck.

//

It wasn’t until later that evening when they were getting ready to head back to Maura’s flat, when Alex decided to ask her something he’d been thinking about for an awfully long time. 

“Maura?”

She looked up at him, her hair blowing gently in the wind, her caramel eyes bright and warm in the rainbow colors of the sun as it began to sink below the horizon. He still couldn’t quite decide what time of day was his favorite light on her face, but he thought just now that a cool dusk suited her well, with her soft curls and her ivory turtleneck sweater and his faded leather jacket.

“What…? Don’t tell me you’re gonna use that _word_ again… don’t think I could handle it right now…” She teased him, her smile lighting up her whole face.

He laughed, “No… I’ll save that for later on.”

“When I’m better prepared.” She grinned, sliding her helmet on. He looked so handsome standing there with the sun setting behind him, his chin-length hair tucked behind his ears and the scruff on his face giving his jaw even more definition that it usually did in the shadow. She casually pinched the inside of her arm to make sure this was real, and that he wasn’t a fever dream induced by a boring life and a thirst for something more back in her small east coast town.

Alex was madly in love with Maura. The ache in his chest that always accompanied the thought of her leaving him made that very clear, and he’d spent the better part of the day falling even deeper in love, with every smile, every giggle, every blush of her sweet little cheeks. He was the romantic fool again, and the one one person who’d called him that his entire life was dying to meet the love of his life. 

“Maura, I wanna take yeh to meet me mum and dad.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is a very short chapter because I think we need it right now. I didn’t have time to make a collage for visuals. Maybe I’ll add one later. I wrote this on the weekend on a train (I don’t know how I survived writing this actually) and I apologize for the use of the word ‘egg’ and also that I made his hair sound so sexy. Rip. 
> 
> Cheers, loves xx

“Alex… I’m nervous.”

He mimicked her frown as he helped her with the strap on her helmet, tapping her nose when she was all set. She peered up at him with her big eyes, full of concern. 

“Why’s that?” He knew why, but he thought maybe having her talk it out might help.

“Um… we’re going to meet your parents right now?” 

He raised his eyebrows, a little smirk on his lips. “Oh… is that all?”

“ _Is that all_?” Maura practically shrieked, “Look at my hands! They’re shaking!”

Chuckling, he took her hands in his own and kissed them, “Love, there’s no reason to be nervous. At all. Me folks are not scary at all. Do Penny and David sound like threatening names to you?”

She shrugged, squinting her eyes in the bright sun. It was an absolutely perfect Saturday, so perfect it reminded her of autumn back home. 

“They’re so excited to meet yeh. I promise.”

“What are they gonna think of me? What if they don’t like me?” 

“Pretty sure thas not gonna ‘appen. I assure you.” Crooking his finger, he beckoned her to come in closer. “C’mere you…”

Tilting her chin up, he pecked at her lips softly. He tasted like coffee. She wished they were still in bed.

“ow’s that? Better?” He teased her and she exhaled heavily.

“Kinda. Maybe one more? Just in case?” 

Alex grinned and wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing at the corners of her mouth, and her cupid’s bow, before ending in a much deeper kiss than she’d anticipated at ten in the morning.

“Mmm…”

“Distracted?”

She nodded, “Mmm hmm, yup. Let’s get going before the nerves creep back…”

Alex thumped her helmet playfully and tucked his hair behind his ears before slipping his on as well. “Yeh should realeh think about seein’ me childhood bedroom. That’ll give yeh a laugh.”

Maura giggled, watching him climb on his bike and following suit, “They never changed your bedroom?”

“Still got The Strokes up on the wall and everythin’.”

She chewed her lip, thoroughly distracted now by this new piece of information. “This is my favorite thing ever.” She slid her arms around his waist and clasped them together, thinking about an angsty, teenage Alex lounging about in his room with his friends. “Is your mom gonna show me photos of you when you were little and tell me about all the trouble you gave her growing up?”

Alex laughed, “Oh definitely, yeah. Thought she were gonna explode with excitement when I told her we were comin’ this weekend. Sure she’s got loads of ammunition all readeh to go.”

//

“He was a bit of a naughty boy when he was younger.” 

Maura raised her eyebrows, smirking at Alex across the island in the kitchen. His expression mirrored hers, and he shook his head slightly, a look in his telling her not to egg this on.

“Hmm… a naughty boy. Can’t picture that at all.” She mused, biting her lip when Alex rolled his eyes.

“‘as he not unleashed that side of him yet?” 

Maura grinned harder; this was so easy. Why was she nervous in the first place? Penny was the best. “Oh yeah… I’ve witnessed the naughtiness.”

Alex’s eyes widened, and he spun on his heels, opening the fridge and grabbing his second bottle of beer. He knew Maura had nothing to worry about, but he didn’t know they’d get along _this_ well. 

Penny looked at her son fondly, “He’s a good one. Handsome. And romantic.”

“Alreyt mum…” Alex’s face turned a few shades of red as he struggled with the bottle cap. ”Please… Maura knows.”

“You are pretty handsome. And romantic…” Maura’s eyes sparkled as she looked him over, so comfortable in his parents’ home. He took a long swig of his beer, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and fiddling with the cuffs of his denim shirt. _So handsome._

“Yehr ‘air is long, Alexander,” Penny commented, “And yeh need a shave.”

“Told yeh.” Alex looked at Maura pointedly.

“I like it.” Maura interjected, totally in love with his chin-length hair and scruff. He’d debated shaving this morning, but she begged him not to.

“Was gonna do it this mornin’ but she wouldn’t let meh.” Alex pointed at her, “Knew yeh’d say summat, mum.”

Maura’s mouth dropped open, “Hey! Don’t throw me under the bus! I just think it looks… good. I like it a lot.”

Penny glanced between them with a smile, and looked Alex over again. “Does look a bit rock n’ roll, dunnit?”

Maura nodded, trying not to let the dirty thoughts creep in, but they were already there at the first mention of the word ‘naughty’. 

“Maybe you could show me around? Give me the grand tour?” Maura offered, itching now to get him alone.

“Grand?’ Penny snorted, “Dunno ‘bout that.”

“‘ey…” Alex squeezed his mum’s shoulder and joined Maura on the other side of the counter, his hand on the small of her back. “Come on, love…”

The Turner residence was small and cozy; lived-in and tidy; exactly what Maura pictured all typically traditional British homes to look like. 

“And this… is me old room.” Alex announced with a dramatic swinging open of the door. 

Maura crept in ahead of him, “Oh my god…” 

All the old posters were on the wall; ticket stubs and books everywhere. It was small and organized and it was all Alex. 

“I wanted to come up to your room to do something naughty but… this just makes me so happy.” An electric guitar sat in the corner, seemingly forgotten.

“It’s broken. Never got it fixed.” Alex told her, perching on his desk while she looked around. 

“Hmm…” she hummed, her fingers gliding over everything in the room, she even peeked in his closet. “No clothes?”

Alex chuckled, his beer bottle at his lips, “I can, embarrassingly enough, still fit all me old clothes, so…”

She smirked, chewing on her lip all over again. He was sitting on his desk like he did at school, and the naughty thoughts were back again.

“Well… embarrassingly enough…” She murmured, stepping into his space, “… I am…. extremely turned on…” His hand slipped around her back, pulling her between his legs. “… by you looking the way you do in your childhood bedroom.”

Alex’s eyebrow arched again slightly, eyes full of mischief, “Is tha so, Miss Vaughn?”

“Oh god… don’t call me that in here…” She hummed, her fingers slipping along the collar of his shirt. “It’s too much.”

“Why’s that?” He whispered, the tips of his fingers skimming the back of her thighs beneath her skirt.

She grabbed both sides of his collar and pulled him in close, her lips pressed against his ear. “Because it makes me want to fuck you…” She kissed him just below his ear, lingering there for a moment to breathe in how good he smelled. Pulling back, she gazed into his eyes beneath her lashes, wishing desperately that they were really, truly alone.

Alex’s jaw set, visibly swallowing hard at her confession. She hadn’t even blushed. “Where?”

“I wanna fuck you on your bed.”

“How?”

“I wanna ride you.” 

“Wanna sit in me lap?”

She nodded, “Hold onto the headboard. Fuck you so good.”

Alex took her hand and brought it down to the front of his jeans, pressing her hand against his cock. She licked her bottom lip, squeezing him gently. She could feel him get harder with each stroke, the friction and her touch turning him on.

“This is dangerous.” She breathed, gently brushing her fingertips over him through the fabric. She felt him shudder.

“I know.”

“Any second… someone could walk in and catch us…”

“Isn’t that the way weh like it though?”

She nodded, her left hand slipping beneath her skirt. She rubbed her fingers over her clit, the ache already too much to bear.

“Yeh wet?”

She nodded slowly, placing her hand over his on the back of her thigh and moving it between her legs. Alex could feel how damp she was through the fabric; wishing it wasn’t cold outside and that she didn’t have the tights on in the first place. Things would be so much easier.

“So wet.” Maura breathed, never breaking eye contact with him once.

Alex pressed his fingers against her clit, and she curled her fingers tighter into the denim collar of his shirt, using it as leverage so she could rub herself against him. She moaned softly, pressing her palm against his cock. There was no disguising that he was completely hard, hot and thick beneath the denim. What had they gotten themselves into now?

“Not even blushin’,” Alex whispered to her, feeling her roll her hips into his hand. “Bet I can change that.”

“Don’t…” Maura hummed, moving her hips faster. She knew what he was about to do. Alex stopped moving his fingers and Maura whimpered, that flash of mischief in his dark eyes. “Please… I want—”

“Me cock in that pretty little cunt of yehrs?”

And just like that, her face turned the most gorgeous shade of red, and she soaked through her tights to Alex’s hand. 

“Mmm…” He moaned, rubbing her faster, varying the pressure against her clit. “The magic word.”

“Shhh…” she hissed, her voice wavering as she smiled, riding his hand faster. “Make me cum before your mom finds us…”

“C’mere…” He huffed, pulling her closer to him, one arm around her waist, the other still moving between her thighs. The angle was better, and Maura wound one arm around his neck, the other pulling his collar. She buried her face in his neck, and to anyone that should happen to come in the room, it looked like they were simply hugging. 

“Pleasepleaseplease…” She breathed into him, arching slightly on her tip toes to push herself into his fingers more. “More. Please.”

Alex’s fingers dug into her waist, holding her down on his hand. “Got yeh beggin’ for it…” He whispered, sliding his middle finger a little further as if he were trying to slip inside her. “Think about how fookin’ good I’d feel inside yeh reyt now, babeh… fookin’ bouncin’ up and down on me cock…”

“ _Alex._ ” Maura moaned, her lips pressed against his neck, her teeth cutting in just slightly. 

“ _God I wanna fuck you so bad right now_ …”

Alex groaned, moving his fingers faster when he heard—

“Alex!” 

His eyes went wide, and he stilled his hand. 

“Alex, why—”

“Shh!” He hissed and cleared his throat, “In me room, mum!”

Maura squeaked, unlatching herself from his neck. _I was_ just _about to cum…_

“Forgot summat at the market… Gonna grab it quick while you show Maura around, alreyt?”

Alex felt Maura tighten around him at the prospect of being alone. “Yeah mum! Weh’ll beh ‘ere! Take yehr time!”

“I’ll just be a minute or two!” 

“ _Okay!_ ” He practically shouted, and Maura lifted her head to look at him, her face flush, her eyes wild. He lifted his hand to her mouth, covering it, and her eyes grew wider, shifting against his fingers for more. “Shh…” He mouthed to her again, tilting his head to listen for the sounds he knew all too well. He’d done a lot of this perfectly measured calculating in this very same room back when he was growing up. His mum still did the exact same things she’d always done. 

Maura moaned softly into his hand, kissing his palm, teasing her pussy on his fingers while they waited. A moment or two later, they heard the door shut and Penny’s car drive off down the block.

“Weh’re alone.” Alex breathed, looking at her with his dark brown eyes.

She wrenched his hand away from her mouth, “ _Finall_ y.” 

Alex’s eyebrow arched at the force in which she she pulled at his shirt, crashing her mouth to his in a frenzied kiss. It was wet and sloppy and he loved this side of her. 

“Get on that fucking bed.” She growled, biting his lip and pushing at him.

Alex stumbled backwards a few steps, raking his fingers through his hair with a smirk on his lips. “Dunno wot’s gotten into yeh Miss Vaughn…” He watched her as her hands slid beneath her skirt, rolling her tights down her legs and kicking them off.

“You. In a second.” She replied breathlessly, pressing herself up against him and pulling open the button fly on his denim and sliding her hand inside. “Mmm…”

Alex helped her push his jeans down just over his ass as he backed them up towards the bed, the two of them landing so hard the frame hit the wall. Maura crawled over his legs and straddled his lap, one hand on the headboard, the other wrapped around his cock, pulling it from his jeans. 

He groaned, so turned on by how eager she was to fuck him. His forehead was sweaty, the back of his neck damp from the excitement. He swallowed thickly, biting his lip, mirroring Maura biting hers. She let go off his cock for a second, her hand disappearing beneath her skirt again. Alex lifted it, watching her fingers slide so easily through her lips, getting them wet with arousal before wrapping her hand back around him, and stroking him up and down.

She inched forward on her knees, Alex moaning as she rubbed the head of his cock against her clit before sinking down on him. “Maura. Fookin’ ‘ell.”

Licking her bottom lip, she finally looked up at him, grabbing onto the headboard with her other hand, and sitting down completely in his lap. “Fuck, you feel so good, baby.”

She didn’t waste anymore time, varying between bouncing up and down on his cock and grinding in his lap. He pushed up her sweater, and she quickly yanked it off, gripping back onto the wood. She had on a soft cotton bra, and her breasts bounced at mouth-level, and he latched onto her nipple through the fabric, sucking on her. Maura moaned, wrapping one of her arms around his head, burying her fingers in his hair. His hands grabbed her ass, squeezing as he moved her up and down on top of him; the room filling with their pants and the filthy sound of his cock sliding in and out of her. 

It was the most action his room had seen in years. And the best.

Maura felt that heavy throb in the pit of her stomach, and she squeezed around him, pulling at his hair as she came with a scream that she’d felt like she’d been holding in for ages. Alex rocked her back and forth roughly, her pussy clenching around him, her orgasm getting him wet.

“So fookin’ tight, Maura… I’m gonna fookin’ cum in that gorgeous cunt.” 

She pulled at his hair, “Please baby, I want it.” She could feel him throbbing, so hot and thick as he stretched her open. “Give it to me, Alex. Now.”

“MmmmfuckkMaura…” He groaned, his fingers squeezing her ass, holding her down on him as he came. 

Maura slipped her fingers between them, touching herself until she came a second time, grinding on him as his hips jerked the last of his release inside her. She moaned, over and over as she shuddered in his lap, riding out the waves, her skirt bunched around her waist, the strap of her bra slipping down one shoulder. 

“Fookin’ ‘ell.” Alex exhaled heavily, Maura’s arm motionless around his neck, her face buried. He could feel her fingers still lazily stroking her clit, slipping around his cock, still deep inside her. “Wot the fook was tha?”

She chuckled, sighing softly. “Wanted to fuck you here.”

“Who are you?” He teased, his hands leaving her ass to caress her thighs.

Lifting her head, Maura peered at him, her cheeks flush from her orgasm, her hair wild. “I don’t know. You do this to me.” She kissed him hungrily, “I feel so dirty.”

“Thas ‘cause y’are Miss Vaughn… me dirteh girl.”

He sat up and lay her back between his legs, his fingers coasting up her thighs and pushing her skirt up higher so he could get a good view of everything. Maura giggled and lifted her arms above her head, her torso stretched out, the damp fabric of her bra shifting against her nipple making her shiver. 

“I’ve been so bad…” She hummed, batting her eyelashes up at Alex; his denim shirt even more wrinkled then before, his hair tangled from her pulling.

Alex brushed his fingers over her pussy, pressing his thumb to her clit, admiring how wet she was, how he still fit so snug inside her. Maura’s hips shook involuntarily, making him smirk. 

“Be gentle.” She warned, sensitive from over-stimulation. 

“Sorreh,” He murmured, lightening up his touch. “God Maura, yeh look so gorgeous like this… sprawled out on me bed.”

“Sexiest girl you’ve ever had in here?” She quizzed him, eyebrow raised in anticipation of his answer.

“Woman.” He corrected her, “Sexiest woman I’ve ever ‘ad in ‘ere. Them girls back then wouldn’t compare to yeh in their wildest dreams.”

Maura giggled, covering her face.

“Wot, the high’s gone and yeh’re back to bein’ shy?”

She shook her head, “No… I just love you so much. Don’t know what to do with myself.”

“Well, don’t hide for starters…” He teased, reaching for her wrist as he shifted his position and leaned over her. “… then next order of business would be to give us a kiss, love.”

Maura giggled again, draping her arms over his shoulders and pulling him in close. He teased her a few times before succumbing to the kiss and losing himself in it for a moment. “And then if weh wanna stay on me mum’s good side… weh should probably get cleaned up and practice keeping our naughty thoughts out of our heads for the next couple of hours.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a very long time since I’ve written a new chapter; nearly a year. The last one was July of last year. But it’s back… and it’s the beginning of the end. Not too much longer before we find out what happens to Alex and Maura. I enjoyed writing this one; so many good little moments, particularly in their classroom. You know me and research lol. It’s not too nsfw, just a little here and there. I think you’ll enjoy it. This fic is the most rom-com thing I’ve ever written, so I’m embracing without getting too cheesy hopefully! Oh, and there’s a Miles Kane cameo in this (as well as brief glimpses of the other guys, too). I hope you’re happy to have them back and that you enjoy it!!
> 
> Grab your favorite ice cream (I’ve weirdly got black raspberry at home rn lol) and enjoy the TWENTY PAGES, BABY!!! Cheers xx

// December //

When December came and classes were out for a few weeks; the two of them had so much free time to be alone together, they didn’t know what to do with themselves.

“If weh joost keep shaggin’ nonstop for the entire break… d’yeh fink weh’ll die?” Maura giggled, rubbing her foot up and down his calf. He chuckled to imself, “Death by shaggin’.”

“We might.” She hummed, turning her head to look at him a minute later. “Do you really plan on holding me hostage in this bed the next three weeks?”

Alex brushed her curls back from her forehead, gently tucking a strand behind her ear. “Not necessarily this bed… there’s yehr bed… and the couch… me old bedroom… the floor… showers and tubs and–”

Maura kissed him quiet, “Truly the only way to shut you up…” She snuggled herself up beneath his arm, her head on his chest. She loved the way their legs tangled up, and the way his chest rose and fell when he breathed and she loved the smell of him and if he truly wanted to hold her hostage in that bed all winter break, then she was completely fine with it. Who needed socializing when she was stupidly drunk in love with the cutest English professor in all of history.

Alex was already formulating plans of his own, however. He really had no intention of locking her up during their break. He wanted to take her everywhere. He loved his city during the holidays and he wanted to show her that even though she was very far from home, Sheffield could be a close second. There would be parties and get-togethers with old friends coming back to town and New Year’s Eve parties… and there would be Christmas.

“Love…” Alex murmured, the tip of his finger tracing little circles on her shoulder. “Would yeh like to spend the holidays with me folks?”

“I would love that.” She whispered, having momentarily panicked not too long ago about what her exact plans for Christmas would be. Sure she’d made friends here, but she was obviously closest to Alex.

_“So what do you do at Hogwarts during the holidays? Are you going to come home? Or roam around the castle in a sweater from Mrs. Weasley with your initial on it?”_

_Her brother was an idiot._

_“Dumbledore invited me to feast with him. So that’s all sorted.”_

_“Good, good. Wouldn’t want you to be alone for Christmas.” He said dryly and then laughed, “Seriously though, Mo… I don’t want you to be alone. You won’t be alone, right?”_

_That’s when she panicked. It was December, and she honestly, didn’t have a plan and Alex and her hadn’t discussed it and-_

_“Hopefully that guy you’re seeing invites you to visit his family.”_

_Maura gulped, her face warm because she was positive she told her mother and her sister not to say anything about Alex. Oh, who am I kidding? Those two are the biggest loud mouths in history._

_“His name is Alex. And we haven’t discussed it yet. But I love his parents and I’d love to visit with them. And I also really want to see London during this time of year, too. So that’s on my list,”_

_“Well, if he’s as head-over-heels as Ginger says he is for you… I’m sure Christmas with Alex is a shoe-in.”_

_“Fucking Ginger…” Maura muttered and the two of them fell out._

Alex kissed her head, “Good. Because they would absolutely love that. “

“You didn’t ask them yet?”

He chuckled, “Oh no, I did. They asked me. Literally the day after they met yeh. Me mum is so chuffed about my dating someone seriously again, she can hardly stand it. Said she might actually have grandkids one day with someone like you in the picture.”

Maura’s eyes widened and she lifted her head to look at him, “Alex, I’ve known you four months, I-”

“Relax, love.” His eyes crinkled as he smoothed his warm hands down her back. “Yeh know ‘ow mums are. I’m sure Ginger is already planning an insane wedding sculpture.”

Maura howled, unable to control her laughter and then the snort that followed. They laughed harder, tears rolling down Alex’s cheeks. Maura’s parents, particularly Ginger, were the focus of many of their inside jokes. _Especially_ when it came to their wild creative side.

“Oh my god,” Maura wailed, holding her stomach, “my sides are aching, I can’t… I can’t wait to tell my siblings that one… That’s such a Ginger thing to do. I’m sure she’s already built it and hidden it in their studio. God…”

“I can’t wait to meet her for real one day. Your dad, too.”

That sobered her up very quick, “Me too, Alex.”

There it was; that thing they tried to avoid in so many of their conversations, creeping up again. The longevity of their relationship was always the question. When the term was over… what did they do then?

Alex sensed the heaviness in the moment and quickly shifted gears to stop them from spiraling and get her smiling again. “So… yer alreyt wiv a few days at theirs, then?”

“A few days?” Maura grinned, thinking about them squeezing into his old bed for a couple nights. She had a feeling that his family really loved Christmas, and getting to be around a bunch of people would make her feel like home.

“Yes. And no funny business, Miss Vaughn. There’s more potential for us to get caught this time.” Alex smiled as he watched Maura’s cheeks turn pink, cupping her face with his hand. He could feel the heat radiating from them. “Don’t yeh dare fink I’ve forgotten about that little stunt yeh pulled in me old room, now…” he murmured, as Maura snuggled closer to him, burying her face in his shoulder. “One of me favorite memories…”

“Shut your stupid face,” she murmured with a grin as she grabbed his cheeks and pursed his lips.

“Ooh yeh rode me ‘ard, Maura.”

The glint of mischief in his eyes made her squint hers. And she owned up to it. “I did. I wanted you. Bad. Really bad.”

“Bad enough teh risk getting caught by me mum.”

“Oh yeah.” She nodded, “And it was worth every penny.”

//

While there was plenty of it; they didn’t however, spend the entire break shagging. In the week leading up to Christmas in Sheffield, Alex took Maura to London.

“Yeh’ve gotta do all the touristy stuff, love…” He promised her, making sure she got the full experience, visiting all the major attractions, and a few clever little spots Alex had to show her.

They held hands through the city, window-shopping and taking afternoon tea and they definitely saw the Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square.

“Alright me little history buff. Here’s a fun fact about London… the good people of Norway send us a large, twenty-five-metre tall Norweigan spruce every single year to put on display in this square.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah… every year since nineteen-forty-seven as a thank you for our support during World War two.”

“Just a small gesture.” She smiled, looking up at the massive tree. “Do you have any idea how old a tree like that must be?”

“Guessing probably… fifty or sixty years old.”

“Incredibly. And insanely gorgeous. This might be my favorite part of the trip so far.”

“We should probably… hmm… let meh take a picture for Ginger,” He fished his phone out of his back pocket and gestured to Maura to pose.

“For Ginger.” Maura laughed, rolling her eyes as she hopped up beside the holiday display.

“Thas good, love… yeah…” He grinned at her and the various poses. Joining her in front of the lights, “Now one wiv me.”

Maura smiled, throwing her arms around his neck, giggling as he struggled to angle the camera and not drop it into the snow at their feet.

“Miss Vaughn… stop giggling at yer inept boyfriend…” He mumbled and she kissed his cheek over and over, squeezing him tighter in the cool night air.

“I love you.” She sighed, and Alex turned his head to look at her just as he was snapping the photo.

“I love yeh, too.” He held her waist tighter, “more than y’know, Miss Vaughn.”

Snowflakes fell on his ridiculously long eyelashes, his adorable nose bright red, his winter hat pulled down over his ears, just the little ends of his hair peeking out. He was so handsome. “Let me see that,” She murmured, and grabbed his phone, turning her back to his chest, she leaned up against him and he wrapped his arms around her waist, chin on her shoulder. It was… disgustingly cute. “We’re so gross.”

“Gross. A couple of ugly mugs. Disgusting. Delete it immediately.” Alex confirmed, grinning as she slipped her glove back on and took his hand.

“Where to next?”

“Dunno… definitely somewhere dark where no one can see how hideously in love we are.”

// January //

Alex was deep into his book, but he could feel Maura’s eyes burning holes in him from the doorway to his room. He slowly turned the page without looking up, “Wot?”

Maura scoffed, “You seriously have no idea how hot you look, huh?” Her cheeks were only red now because the apartment was so warm. It was below freezing outside, and they had one more weekend together before school started up again.

He chuckled, “Wot? Why?”

“Oh… I don’t know… a good-looking literature professor in his early thirties, reading a book in bed… shirtless with his coffee and his incredibly sexy glasses and his adorable bedhead…” Now Maura was blushing; because, “…this is exactly how I imagined you looked all those weeks ago. Fantasized about it.”

“Fantasized, Miss Vaughn?” The look he gave her just then, was enough to make her melt into a puddle right there on the wood floor, slipping through the cracks, never to be seen or heard from again.

“Oh god.” Maura yelped, clutching her own mug tighter, the long sleeves of his sweater covering her hands. “Yes. Fantasize. Men think women want some big beefy guy lifting weights and wearing an ugly baseball hat; but what we really want… is this.” Maura waved her free hand at him and Alex ran his fingers through his chin-length hair. “Intelligent guy with good hair wearing glasses and reading all day in bed on the weekends. That’s our dream.”

“Well then I’m ‘appy I can make that dream a reality for yeh, Miss Vaughn.” Alex didn’t know what it was about himself that always got her so riled up, but she made sure to tell him every chance she got that he was an absolute dream. He wasn’t always perfect, but he was pretty dreamy to her. “What was that you were sayin’ about fantasizing?”

Maura was a hundred percent convinced that this was not her life. She was positive that somewhere in the last few months; her timeline veered off into an alternate timeline where she was dating the most gorgeous and sweet and intelligent man in a foreign country while she got to do her dream job.

It was so surreal.

And it was February.

And the months were slipping away.

“Well…” She smiled sheepishly, recalling the many nights she touched herself to the thought of him. It seemed like ages ago. “…definitely came a lot of times to the thought of all this.”

Alex laughed, he didn’t mean to, but he didn’t know why this got her so hot.

“Don’t laugh at me! Please… there was… there was one time when you called me… and I’d just… I’d literally just had an orgasm thinking about you, and my vibrator was still on and buzzing underneath me and-”

“I bet yer face was the prettiest shade of pink.”

Maura’s eyes widened, especially because he was looking at her like _that_. “I-I don’t know… it probably was… but I was _on fire_ talking to you. And I was once very longingly wishing I was the apple I gave you that first day. I was watching you eat it, and-” She shivered, “I still think about how you licked your lips that day.”

“It was a very, _very_ delicious apple.” Alex teased her and reached for her mug, and set it beside his on the nightstand, taking her hands and pulling her into his lap. “I fantasized about a really cute history professor, too.”

“Oh no… please don’t say it’s that awful woman who teaches just down the hall-mmm,” Maura smiled against Alex’s lips, “…so not her?”

“Definitely not. My girl wears cute little skirts and jumpers, and she’s a better rider than me, and she has extensive knowledge on one of the greatest decades in history… and she’s a little bit of a voyeur… but I like that about her.”

“What a gal.”

“Oh, she is.”

Maura grinned, combing her fingers through his hair, her ankles crossed, sitting sideways in his lap. “Do you want breakfast, my love?”

“We could get out of ‘ere… go for a ride and grab summat…”

“Yes! Can we?! I’ve been dying to ride.”

“‘Course, love.” He patted her thigh and she scrambled off his lap and straight to his closet. “I haven’t taken me bike out in the winter in forever… it gets cold tha knows…”

“I know!” She called to him, grabbing two of his jumpers instead of the usual one. “You better wear enough layers, too… can’t have you freezing to death the day before your birthday…”

Alex raked his fingers through his hair, setting his glasses on top of his book, “And wot ‘ave yeh got planned for tha anyways?”

“It’s a surprise!” Maura shouted, her voice muffled from the red turtleneck sweater she was currently stuck in. Her hair stayed tucked beneath the collar, her hazelnut eyes bright and excited. “You’re going to love it. Be at my place at six.”

He was making the bed, tossing the pillows at the top, “Does that mean we aren’t spending the day together tomorrow?”

“Just for a few hours… I’ll be with you in the morning.”

“I dunno if I like whatever this little scheme of yours is that yeh’ve cooked up.” He smoothed the comforter, “I smell trouble.”

“You know me…” She giggled, shimmying into her jeans, nearly losing her balance.

It was strange to him, to think that a few months ago, moments like this didn’t exist. If this was a year ago, he would’ve spent all day in bed reading, being anti-social on his days off, unwinding from work, maybe meeting the guys at the pub for a bit in the evening. But now this was his norm; this quirky little thing from the states hopping around his bedroom wearing his clothes and planning birthday parties for him. He would give absolutely anything for his life to stay just like this.

_Stay with me, Maura._

“What?” She laughed again, as Alex brushed some hair from her face, kissing her forehead.

“Joost love yeh, thas all.”

//

She’d left him what felt like ages ago; but it was only four hours. Four long hours. It wasn’t that he couldn’t deal with being alone, it was that he was anxious about whatever she was doing. They were meeting his friends later that evening for drinks, but that wasn’t until ten and it was nine now and Alex was busy overthinking everything.

His boots scuffed each step as he shuffled his way up, helmet under his arm, hand in his pocket, so deep in thought that he didn’t realize he’d already reached the ‘penthouse’. He loved her place simply for all the memories of when they first started dating; leaving her here after walking her up; feverish makeout sessions against the door. Things he didn’t think people did anymore. Or maybe they did and no one talked about it. Either way, he loved how alive he felt standing on the threshold of her apartment.

“Hi.”

Alex glanced up, hearing her voice full of sunshine. Her cute little face was the only thing he could see, her hair curlier than usual, her makeup a little heavier. She was dressed up for the occasion.

“‘Ey you…” His smile spread from ear to ear, forgetting every single worry that had troubled him on his ride here. “Yer face could break a millions hearts.”

Maura bit her lip, her cheeks turning his favorite shade of pink. “Thanks… you look pretty dreamy yourself.” His hair had that unruly little curl at the ends, and he was wearing the scarf she told him he had to get because it brought out the amber flecks in his eyes. It was wrapped around his neck several times, tucked into the popped collar of his leather jacket. And he was wearing her favorite jeans. He did pretty well for not getting any hints out of her about what tonight was going to entail. “You ready?”

“Erm…” He stammered, “y-yes?”

“Come on then…” She replied mysteriously, opening the door and leading him into her hallway. Everything was dimly lit, a few candles flickering.

“Wot’s all this?” He sighed with relief, the corner of his mouth curving into a smirk. “Seducing me, Miss Vaughn?”

Maura giggled, thankful that he whispered that. “You’ll see…” She put her hands on his back, and then around his waist, shadowing him as he entered her tiny kitchen through the archway.

“SURPRISE!!”

“Fookin’ ‘ell!” Alex shouted, clasping his chest. Maura howled with laugher, clapping her hands. “Yeh sneaky lil’ fing, you…” He threw his arm over her shoulders and kissed her forehead before accepting handshakes and hugs from his friends.

Miles threw his arms around him, hugging him tightly, and Jamie and Katie… Nick and Kelly and Matt; who’d successfully managed to snap a photo of Alex’s face when he entered the room. He even got one of him smiling at his friends with his arm around Maura’s shoulders. They were going to love that.

“We got ya good, Al!” Miles exclaimed, dressed to the nines in all black. He hadn’t seen Alex in ages, but he’d spent most of the day helping Maura get everything together. They’d talked for hours about fashion and The Beatles and he’d helped her prepare some things for dinner, and even Miles got to thinking about what would happen to the two of them when Maura’s teaching visa was up. He liked her very much and he knew Alex was wild about her, and most importantly, he loved what they did for each other.

“Yeah, yeh fookin’ did…” Alex grinned, taking a beer from Nick while attempting to pull at his scarf around his neck.

“Gimme that…” Miles helped him shrug out of his jacket and took his scarf, adding it to the other coats in her tiny closet. He was so happy to help play host at her apartment, especially for Alex’s thirty-third.

Once Alex had made sure he’d said hello to everyone, he checked out the long tables she’d managed to squeeze in there, loving the way she’d set it; balloons and noisemakers everywhere. He hadn’t had this much fanfare on his birthday in ages. Last time was his thirtieth when they went skiing and rented a cabin for the weekend, and even then… not like this.

“Dinner together,” She told him, suddenly by his side with drinks in hand. He looked her over; black leather skirt with a zippered front and a black long-sleeved turtleneck with printed tights and black ankle boots. So cool and retro and so her. “… and then a pub crawl later.”

“With everyone?”

She nodded, “Oh yeah, baby. Everybody’s game.”

“How did I get so lucky?”

“Been wondering the same thing since the moment we met.” She gave him a quick kiss, “We match.”

“Yeah, you and me and Miles Kane.”

She laughed, “We kind of planned our outfits after listening to The Beatles all day. We have similar tastes. And _excuse me!_ You didn’t tell me Miles could sing, too!”

Alex shrugged, “Not my secret skill to share!”

“Maybe if we get drunk enough later, weh’ll do a duet!” Miles threw his arm around his shoulder. “I like her, mate. Don’t let this one go.”

//

They did, in fact, get drunk enough to sing together later on that evening. The whole crowd of them ended up at a karaoke bar in the city, completely toasted and hogging the mic as they shared it between their little party. It was easily the best night ever.

Alex was stellar at improving when he couldn’t get the lyrics right, even singing about his delicious ice cream birthday cake in the middle of Bowie’s “Jean Genie”. After endless duets with Miles, he shared the mic with Matt at one point, during a surprisingly entertaining of “California Love” by 2pac and Dr. Dre.

“This is my favorite thing ever!” She cheered, singing along with Kelly.

“That’s me favorite karaoke song.” Alex grinned drunkenly at Maura when he clamored off the stage and into her arms. “Lose me accent when I sing it.”

“The best surprise of the evening… you’re a decent rapper.”

“Will yeh sing wiv me, love?” His eyes were heavy and lidded and he was slurring his words, but he was having the absolute best time. “Anyfing yeh want.”

“Oh my god…” Maura had only done one or two songs, but only in a group or as backup; this would be her first duet. “I-I don’t know… I can’t sing, I-”

“Please love… we ‘aven’t sang together all night and it’s me birfday and I realleh, realleh wanna sing wiv ya. Pretty please… for me?”

“Ahhh… “ she bounced nervously, not quite drunk enough to feel _completely_ confident, but… “… alright, yes. I’ll sing with you.”

Alex whooped extra loud and went to grab them both another drink and to drunkenly proclaim they were next on the mic. Maura knocked back the rest of her cocktail, gulping down the liquid courage and marching over to the side of the stage to look for the perfect song.

She was beyond nervous, but everyone was having so much fun and they were all so drunk, it would be fine. Totally cool. _You got this, Maura. Don’t fucking chicken out on your boyfriend’s birthday. You don’t have to be a good singer to do Karaoke. Fact._

Her hands were shaking when Miles handed off his mic to her, and she told him what song she wanted. He cackled, “This should be good…”

Alex met her onstage, talking to Matt, nearly spilling their drinks with his mic tucked beneath his arm. “’ere, love. What are weh singin’?”

“It’s a surprise!” She nearly shouted from nerves.

“Miss Vaughnnnnn…” He sang deeply into the microphone, the sound reverberating in the speakers. “Don’t be nervousssss Miss Vaughnnnnnnn… yer too cute to be nervoussssss….”

“Oh my _god_.” She murmured, spinning on her heel, trying to get off the stage, but none of them would let her.

“Love, come back… promise it’s alreyt… joost us sozzled idiots…” he tried to console her but she covered her face with her hands in a desperate attempt to stop herself from blushing too hard.

The music started up just then and Alex laughed. “Yer nervous,” he slurred, “and yet, yeh picked this song. Unbelievable…” He took a sip of his drink and got right to it _,_ “ _Well I remember every little thing, As if it happened only yesterday, Parking by the lake and there was not another car in sight, And I never had a girl, Looking any better than you did, And all the kids at school,_ ” He winked at her, “ _They were wishing they were me that night…_ ”

Alex was of course, an absolute natural, singing the lyrics with a suave overconfidence that kept Maura’s cheeks burning bright, and had her giggling like a fool in all kinds of love.

“ _…. and now our bodies are oh so close and tight, it never felt so good, it never felt so right, and we’re glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife, glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife, c'mon hold on tight, oh c'mon hold on tight…_ ”

She was so busy admiring him that she forgot her cue, and he waved his hand encouraging her. “ _Though it’s cold and lonely in the deep dark night,_ ” She scrambled out the first line, very off key, her voice shaking. But Alex got close to her and their friends were yelling and singing along and she started to relax.

“ _I can see paradise by the dashboard light…_ ”

It was over-the-top and silly and Alex was a gigantic ham. His facial expressions and the devilish look in his eye had her giggling between the words and he couldn’t take his eyes off her, or his hands as they sang, “ _Ain’t no doubt about it we were doubly blessed, ‘Cause we were barely seventeen and we were barely dressed!”_

Alex was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt; he was head-over-heels in love with this woman. She took another long sip of her drink, wiping her mouth and giggling before the got to the bridge, and Miles jumped onstage when the part of the sports-announcer started and recited every line as if they’d all practiced this before. It left Alex with his hands free and he grabbed Maura, kissing her with his cool lips, a little sloppy but giggling as they pretended to dramatically make out.

“ _Here he comes, squeeze play, it’s gonna be close, here’s the throw, here’s the play at the… Holy cow, I think he’s gonna make it!_ ”

When Miles’ part ended, Maura shoved Alex off her, “ _Stop right there, I gotta know right now, before we go any further, do you love me? Will you love me forever? Do you need me? Will you never leave me? Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life? Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?_ ”

“Fuck this joost got very real…” Alex laughed into the microphone and they barely finished the end of the song, laughing and holding each other. “I do love yeh forever…” he whispered to her when they headed back to the bar, squeezing her tightly.

// February //

Valentine’s Day was a Friday.

And up until the moment she woke up that morning, Maura had no idea Alex had even put any stock into the cheesy Hallmark holiday.

“Good morning.” He chirped, bright and early and chipper before seven am. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Maura snorted, “You’re into this sort of thing?”

Alex shook his head, “Don’t need a silly holiday to tell show yeh ‘ow mooch I love yeh, but… I don’t ‘ate it completely.”

“I do think V-day has a rather lovely color palette, myself. And I can’t ever say no to chocolate.”

“Well, thas perfect then because…” Alex reached beneath her pillow and pulled out two tickets to-

Maura squealed, “Oh my god. A sixties horror movie double feature?”

“Hitchcock tribute. The only way teh celebrate Valentine’s Day.”

She threw her arms around his neck, and gushed, “You sure do know the way to this gal’s heart!” Alex chuckled as she kissed him all over his face, “Can’t wait to share extra buttery popcorn and squeeze your hand during the scary parts and makeout with you to the sounds of Tippie Hedren screaming bloody murder!”

“Ooh me too, love…” He drawled his hands fanning out over her back and shoulder blades. “I woke yeh up a bit early by the way to-”

“Mmm… have sex before class?” She hummed, looking up at him, her hazel eyes dancing.

“Mmm no… I were gonna say to pack because the theater is in Liverpool and it’s a two hour train ride but- morning sex is also good. Let’s do tha, too.”

She sat up instantly, “Liverpool? Train? Pack? We’re spending the weekend?”

Alex nodded, anxiously pulling her back down for the aforementioned morning sex. “Thas wot I said, love.”

“I love our weekend adventures…” She sighed dreamily and collapsed beside him on the bed again. “Wanna have a quickie in the kitchen while the coffee is brewing?”

“God, I fookin’ love yeh, ya know tha?”

She wiggled her eyebrows and jumped up, running off into the tiny kitchen. It was still dark for a winter morning, and she grabbed the french press and the mugs and set to measuring as Alex crept up behind her.

“Let’s get rid of these…” He whispered against her ear as he tucked his fingers inside her

panties and slowly lowered them down her legs. She giggled when he pushed up her t-shirt and kissed the backs of her thighs just beneath the curve of her ass.

“Almost done,” She sighed, when she felt his fingers slip between her legs from behind, her hand shaking as she measured out the last scoop of coffee grounds.

Alex hummed in appreciation, pushing his boxers down and stroking himself as he fingered her wet pussy. “Ready yet?”

“Wait…” She replied softly, gripping the edge of the counter as she watched the steam rise from the kettle, anticipating the sound of it whistling to signify boiling at any moment. The pad of Alex’s middle finger rolled over her clit, circling it just as the kettle went off.

He paused as she reached for it, smirking at how she had to steady herself and focus to pour the water onto the grounds. The spoon made extra clanging sounds as she stirred it up shakily and placed the top on to let it bloom. “Ready now?” He asked again, his voice a little bit huskier than it had been five seconds ago.

She nodded as Alex’s hand slipped around her waist, pushing her shirt up over her breasts and leaning her against the counter. She angled her hips back, as his hand covered her breast, squeezing as he slid the head of his cock over her entrance teasing her for just a moment before thrusting inside her with a quick snap of his hips.

Maura cried out, grasping the counter with both hands, as he wasted no time finding a quick, satisfying little rhythm. No words were exchanged, just her soft whimpers and his grunting as he picked up the pace when he felt himself getting closer. His fingers circled her clit, rolling and pinching and teasing until he felt the walls of her cunt squeezing around his cock.

“Don’t stop, baby…” She whispered, as she wound her hips, working against him.

He held her tighter, crushing her hip bones into the counter as his climax approached, the rhythm he’d set quickly falling apart. “Right there…” He groaned, breathless as he started to cum, the warmth of it inside her and the pressure of his fingers on her clit sending her spiraling.

Her hips shook, her ass pressed tight against the coarse curls of hair on his abdomen as he came hard, filling her up. He sighed, kissing the back of her neck, checking the clock on the stove. “Less than four minutes this time.”

“We beat our record.” She smiled, letting go of the counter and slipping her fingers between her folds to see if she could make herself cum once more.

“Got another one in yeh?” He smirked, swiveling his hips as she teased herself to a less dramatic but equally as satisfying sequel.

“First double feature of the day.”

//

Alex Turner was a big fat liar.

He had a bouquet of flowers delivered to her classroom that morning, just before they were set to teach together. “You said you didn’t care much for Valentine’s Day!” She cried, shoving him. He was sitting on her desk, grinning like an idiot.

“Why don’t yeh read the card, love.”

Maura rolled her eyes as she snatached it from the little pick shoved inside. In Alex’s all-caps, messy, serial-killer handwriting was:

_This isn’t a Valentine’s Day bouquet. It’s just because I love you._

Her nose scrunched up, her lip trembling. He was a stupid, sentimental idiot. “You’re a fool.”

Alex laughed, tugging at the hem of her skirt. “Me mum always said I was a hopeless romantic.”

“Did she also say you’re an idiot?”

“Loads of times.” He grinned, and told her everything he could remember about the flowers. “There’s paper whites, anemones, ranunculus… mmm… lisianthus, Viburnum berries, thistle, and… eucalyptus. Because I know you love how good it smells.” Maura always had it hanging in her shower, and his hair always smelled like it when he got out. “And some wild roses. Because they’re more romantic than the regular ones.”

It really was truly stunning, and it didn’t look anything like a typical Valentine’s Day bouquet. All white flowers except for the little blue berries and the eucalyptus and the greens.

“How did you remember all that?” She swallowed hard, admiring how gorgeous it was.

Alex exhaled, “Well… went there to pick it out a few days ago and made them write it down for me so I could memorize it. Thought yed’d wanna know every one.”

“You.” She smiled, moving to stand between his legs, her hands on the desk on either side of his thighs. “Really are a hopeless romantic. I love you for it.” She licked her lips, hovering over his but not touching, teasing them both.

“Class starts in less than two minutes, Maura.” Alex warned, even though at this point he could care less what people thought of them.

“Very aware,” She breathed as Alex suddenly grabbed her cheeks and kissed her deeply.

“Had to do it. Wouldn’t ‘ave made it through class otherwise.”

Maura bit her lip and stood up, straightening her skirt as Alex’s fingers grazed the back of her thighs in her cute heart-printed tights she’d worn just for the occasion. “This is going to be a rough one… you set me up for interrogation with your little gift.”

Alex shrugged as their students started filing in, one of the girls complimenting Maura’s tights and sweater and another whispering to her friend as they passed the desk with the flowers.

“Today is…” Alex began, “February fourteenth.” He concluded with a grin and Maura picked up.

“Exactly. And in honor of V-day… we thought we’d do something a little different, and celebrate a band who has written more love songs than you can count _and_ had their very first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show fifty-years ago on February ninth.”

“Who’s the band?”

“The Beatles, you twat.” Another student answered.

“Alreyt,” Alex intervened, sliding off the desk and taking half the stack of handouts from Maura to pass around. “It is indeed The Beatles. And in my opinion, they designed the prototype for love songs.”

“Seventy-three _million_ Americans gathered around their TV sets that night to watch their performance. In nineteen-sixty-four, that was massive. It’s huge now! The country had been hyping them up for weeks in advance, with slogans like ‘The Beatles Are Coming!’, and articles in every magazine and newspaper. This was huge for America; the start of The British Invasion.”

Alex gave her a quick wink and chuckled when her eyes widened, walking down the row opposite his. Back when they were planning this class, he joked about being her very own British Invasion.

_“Gonna invade that body, babeh…” He pressed his nose against her cheek, and she snorted; the too of them cracking up at his terrible jokes. They had really fantastic sex that afternoon._

“Two nights prior to the Ed Sullivan show, CBS and ABC news showed footage of their official arrival on the tarmac at New York’s Kennedy Airport. Americans went mental for the mop-tops.”

Most of the class was hanging onto every word Alex said, and Maura rounded the desks, hanging out at the back of the classroom when one of the girls stopped her, whispering, “Ms. Vaughn… are those flowers from Mr. Turner?”

Maura neither confirmed or denied, just smiled and held a finger to her lips. The girl grinned and nodded her head, whispering how beautiful they were.

“Ed Sullivan’s iconic line, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles. Let’s bring them on,’ was completely drowned out by the scream of the girls in the audience. The very first song they played on national TV was, _All My Loving_.”

“One of my very favorite songs of theirs,” Maura smiled at him from across the room. He’d once sang it for her, unprompted, strumming along on his acoustic. She had a picture of him saved on her phone from that day.

“Weh’re gonna watch the entire performance now and then weh’ll get into why they were such an important part of the nineteen-sixties. Promise this isn’t just a class to indulge our musical tastes.” Alex shut off the lights, “Although, in case yer wonderin’ me favorite album is _Rubber Soul…_ and Miss Vaughn’s is _Abbey Road_. She’s got a great picture of herself when she went to visit. Obligatory tourist shot.”

Maura shot him the most evil look she could muster. It was getting harder and harder to hide the fact that they were an item. And besides, she was more than positive that nearly every single one of their students suspected something was up. After that one date night at the cinema, word had spread pretty quickly. It was more or less a game now, who could keep their cool when they were in class together and who couldn’t. Alex was fantastic at pushing her buttons, so nonchalant about it all. It made their workdays more fun, the days passing quickly when they were sneaking off into supply closets or classrooms… sharing private jokes in teacher’s meetings…

“Says the man with the ‘John for President’ badge on his jumper,” Maura rolled her eyes; Alex squinting at her from behind his glasses. He lingered at the front of the classroom for a moment watching, but eventually, snuck off to the back to join her.

The blood rushed in her ears, making her feel a bit light-headed as she watched him saunter back towards her; hands in his pockets, hair falling in his eyes, sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms. All to the soundtrack of dozens of girls screaming.

She could relate.

Leaning against the back wall, Alex brushed his fingers against her hand, locking them with hers. Maura looked down and then up into his eyes, squeezing tighter when he kissed her cheek chastely.

Three months and counting.

// March //

“This is my least favorite month.” Maura lamented, gazing out the window, unable to focus on the papers they were grading.

Alex tossed his red pen and stretched his arms over his head, his pale blue t-shirt riding up his stomach. “S’alreyt. But… shouldn’t yeh love it… it’s yer birfday month.” He couldn’t tell if she was annoyed because it was the fact that her birthday was approaching, or because March meant another month gone by.

“I like my birthday. Birthday’s are fun.” She murmured softly, “And I share the day with Michael Caine… so I’m in good company. Also. March 14th was always Pi day at school. So we had pie in math class; made it ultimately less insufferable.”

Alex grinned, reaching for his jumper. They’d headed to a cafe to grade instead of being cooped up in one of their apartments all day, and when they’d gotten there he was boiling. Now- absolutely freezing. “Michael Caine and pie. Pretty dreamy. And Miles. Don’t forget him, now. Joost a few days later.”

She laughed, “Alfie! Pretty dreamy is right. And Miles! I forgot we’re zodiac friends; us emotional, romantic fish.”

He tilted his mug to discover he was all out of tea, he checked Maura’s as well. “Both empty. I’ll get us more,” He slid his chair back, “Don’t forget compassionate, and creative. Gentle.”

Maura swallowed hard at the sleepy smile on his face before he left for the counter. A single tear slipped down her cheek, then another, and another, until she had to wipe at her face with the sleeve of her sweater. But they wouldn’t stop. _Speaking of emotional…_

She studied him from behind her hand, doing her best to cover up the waterworks. He was fidgety in line, playing with his hair, fixing his shirt, messing with his gold chain. She loved him in every way you could love a person. She loved the way his mind worked and how much passion he had for his work and how much he loved his friends and family; how he’d give the shirt off his back for you if you needed it. Being around him was like being around sunshine; very rarely did the clouds come out to spoil their fun. He could be a little moody when he wanted to be, but they’d only had a few arguments in all their time together. Normal couple things. Alex was generally calm and easy-going, and she didn’t know if that was because of her or magnified by her presence or if it was just his natural frequency or what… but she’d never met a single person who disliked him. His energy balanced hers so perfectly that sometimes in her head she did toss around the notion of soulmates. It felt silly to say aloud, but she’d never met anyone who understood her so well; that she felt connected to on so many levels.

She saw him glance back at her, mouthing something she couldn’t understand and rolling his eyes at the people in front of him. She laughed, and something in his eyes flickered, his brow furrowing when his frown pulled the corners of his smile down at tears in her eyes. It was finally his turn, but he checked on her over his shoulder twice more before carrying back steaming mugs of tea.

“Maura Vaughn, tell me wot’s wrong reyt now.” He demanded as he set the tray down and leaned across the table.

More tears.

“Maura…? Wot ‘appened? Are y’alreyt, love?”

“I’m fine,” Her laugh was more like a choked sob, and she wiped her face again and gazed out the window for a minute, desperate to compose herself.

Alex wasn’t buying it, “Yeh dirty lil’ liar. Tell me, love. Wot can I do teh ‘elp?”

 _You can stay with me forever. Never leave me!_ She wanted to shout, but she couldn’t do that, not here. Not now. But she realized right then that she’d been wasting time, and now she was running out of it. She had to do something. She had to make a plan. Going back to her life in New Hampshire where she’d most likely end up back living with her parents for a bit, and slipping into the same old routine, simply wasn’t an option.

“Promise I’m okay. Just. Sitting here thinking about how good you are to me. And how cute you look in sweaters. And how smart you are.” Her eyes welled-up again, and she hastily wiped at them before setting her hands flat on the table and leaning in. “It’s just… you ever love someone so much you feel like your heart is going to explode and you’ll just die?”

Alex’s face was drawn as he immediately caught up with her on this emotional journey. “Absolutely.”

Instantly, his eyes were full of sorrow, the pretty amber and gold getting dark and forlorn. All of that man’s emotion was visible in his eyes. When he was happy, they were light; sparkly and dancing and full of life, and when he was sad or upset; dark, angry storms, when looking into them felt like trying not to capsize in a dinghy on a choppy ocean.

She put her hands to her chest, covering her heart, “That’s me right now.” She confessed, her chest getting tighter at the admission. “That’s what March feels like _right now_.”

//

“I tried to make a bed out of them… but it unfortunately got too messy because I was unsure of how to contain both the syrup _and_ the butter pillows…” Alex explained, hand on his hip, tea towel over his shoulder as he gestured at the mountain of blueberry pancakes on the table.

Maura covered her face, giggling at his memory from their meeting outside of school at the cafe, and what she’d said about beds made from pancakes.

_“So you agree with meh that the pancakes are the best fing yeh’ve ever tasted, reyt?” Alex asked her, sipping the end of his second cup of coffee._

_Maura was still chewing the last bit of the fluffy blueberry riddled pancake, but she nodded eagerly before wiping her mouth with her napkin. “Yes! They’re delicious! If I could, I would sleep on a bed of these blueberry pancakes every night…with butter pillows.”_

_“Yeh’d wake up smellin’ sweet like syrup and butter every morning… I wouldn’t mind that.” He stacked their little plates up for the waitress and peeked at her through his long eyelashes._

“Not really a practical idea… was it?” She giggled again, slipping her arms around his waist to squeeze him so tight.

“Delicious… but not practical.” He confirmed, kissing the top of her head. “Happy birthday, my love.” He lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers, covering her lips in a slow, lazy kiss. “Eat up. I’ve been at it for awhie; wanted to let you sleep. Afraid they might be a bit cold now…”

“Mmm, you taste delicious.” She licked her lips, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you.” She stood on tiptoes and kissed his face all over. He swatted her ass as she slipped from his arms and into a seat. “Who is all this food for? It’s so much!” She cried, snagging a piece of bacon and the bowl of cut cantaloupe; her favorite.

“I dunno… I fookin’ got carried away…” Alex chuckled, tossing the towel and joining her, bottle of champagne in hand. “Mimosas…” He explained, filling first her glass and then his own, topping them off with orange juice. “Figured… since the sun won’t come out for me girl’s birthday… we could stay inside all day and watch yer favorite films. Then out for dinner later.”

“Good plan, Turner…” She grinned, lifting her glass to his.

“ere’s to endless adventures and all the love you could ask for on this next trip ‘round the sun, Maura. Cheers.”

“Cheers.” Their glasses clinked and she sipped it slowly as she drizzled syrup on the pancakes. “My next trip around the sun won’t be anything without you. So… I’m working on that.”

She hadn’t told Alex before this that she was trying to figure out a way to stay. She knew it would be worse if he got his hopes up, but… they needed something at this point to hold on to.

“Wot’s tha?” He looked at her, “Yer working on wot?”

“Exactly what I said. Making sure this next year has plenty of you. I’m working on _that_.”

Alex knew it was irrational to get excited about the flip in his stomach at the prospect of her never leaving. But he knew better to invest too much of his energy into something that might not actually work out. He couldn’t help it though. This was the one iota of a positive outcome to this problem that he’d been longing for.

“Yer not gonna tell me..?”

She shook her head, “Nope.” He scowled at her grin, working his wrist to slice his pancakes with the side of his fork. “Just gotta trust me, okay? I’m going to figure this all out.”

//

“We totally don’t have to hide in this closet and make out anymore you know,” Maura whispered to Alex, his hand inside her tight cardigan sweater. He teased her nipple and she whimpered biting her lip.

“But I like this closet.” He whispered back to her, massaging her breast into his hand, feeling her shiver. “I like you in this closet. Dark. Uninhibited. A little nervous we’ll get caught.”

“Mmm but we won’t get caught,” she grinned, cupping his chin and pulling him in for a kiss. “I locked my door.”

Alex pulled away, slightly offended. “Well wot the fook? Where’s tha fun in tha then?”

“Want me to go unlock it?”

“Can I unbutton yer jumper and make yeh walk there wiv yer tits out?”

Maura lightly slapped his cheek, “Ooh, Mr. Turner… that’s very naughty.”

“I know. Can I?”

She didn’t need a light to see the devilish look on his face; the way his lips curled and the arch of his eyebrow. Maura considered it. It was late in the day… nearly everyone had gone home…

“Okay.”

“Wot?” Alex sounded as shocked as she felt. “Yer seriously gonna-“

“Yes! Do it quick before I chicken out and change my mind.”

Alex’s fingers fumbled, hurriedly undoing the buttons. He couldn’t even believe she agreed, “was only kidding, love…”

“I know…” she sighed when she felt his fingers unclasping her bra. She pulled it from beneath her sweater and draped it over his shoulder before kissing him. “… I just like the idea of walking back in here and having you ravage me against these shelves for doing it.”

“Ravage.” He grinned, kissing her again with a loud smack of their lips. “Destroy.” Another kiss. “Completely fookin’ wreck yeh, Miss Vaughn.”

“Ohhh I do love dating an English professor.” She giggled, stealing one last kiss before spreading open her cardigan so her tits we’re on full display.

“Be right back.” She hummed, and Alex bit his knuckles, leaning out the frame of her little supply closet to watch her walk to the door to unlock it. Doubling the risk factor. They had a serious kink for getting caught.

He whistled low, and she put an extra sway in her hips, her pencil skirt hugging every curve. Maura turned back to him, holding her sweater open with a wink and Alex let out a wolf-like howl.

“Shh!” She laughed as she peeked out into the hallway. It was deserted in their wing, and it boosted her confidence. She clicked the lock; the sound echoing in her darkened classroom.

Alex’s eyes widened as he watched her remove her sweater completely; her eyes sparkling as she strutted back to him. The golden hour light from outside made her look absolutely gorgeous; her cheeks flushed, her waves pinned back from her sweet face. But her smirk and her half naked body said otherwise.

Alex pushed open the door, leaning against the jamb. “Thas a bit risky, innit Evil Kenevil?”

“Whatever do you mean?” She arched her eyebrow and he mimicked her. “Have I… been a bad girl, Mr. Turner?”

Alex smirked, “Very, very bad.”

“Whoops.”

“Thas all y’ave to say for yerself?”

She shrugged, her breasts bouncing ever-so-slightly.

“Fink yeh oughta get in ‘ere Miss Vaughn… let meh teach yeh another lesson.”

// April //

  
“Well.” Alex snapped his book shut and looked to Maura on the opposite end of the desk as him. “What have you got to say about that Miss Vaughn?”  
Maura looked to Alex as he deflected the statement to her. He looked amused; eyebrows slightly raised as everyone in the classroom including himself, awaited her opinion.  
“I think that’s bullshit.” She tried to keep a straight face as best she could, but Alex saw the smirk. Some students chuckled and Alex nodded his head, having known full well that Maura wouldn’t agree.  
“And why is that?”

“Well for starters… I completely disagree with you. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and A Clockwork Orange, they share a common theme: it is completely wrong for any authority to supersede freedom and dignity. While the novels are _wildly_ different, they both emphasize the dangers of a government having too much power. Both authors in their own ways; one a surrealist version of a dystopian future, and the other, a contemporary dysfunctional society within a fixed setting; warn us against the consequences of restricting personal freedom.”

Maura knew she could talk about this subject forever. The best decision she ever made was teaming up with Alex to co-teach a class in which she could broaden the range of topics she discussed, while also dissecting some elements she never would’ve been able to on a stricter curriculum. And for her, literature within the decade was _so_ important in shaping and supporting the cultural and societal timelines.

“I could honestly go on about this all afternoon… however… the more I talk about it, the more ideas I feed you all and then I won’t have anything original to read when your essays come in.”

Alex knew he was staring at Maura throughout her entire speech, but he couldn’t help himself. He was in awe of this woman he was lucky enough to call his girlfriend, because she was the most intelligent person he’d ever met. And to be able to work with her everyday was an experience he valued more than anything thus far in his career.

“Consider expanding on the topics we suggested for you; talk about LSD in both novels! In the sixties it was thought that LSD was the ultimate access to the human mind! Kesey experimented with LSD and that’s what made him sympathetic to the patients when he worked the graveyard shift as an orderly at that mental health facility in California. There’s LSD in the milk at the Korova Milk Bar. Are there some similarities there? You can even circle back and mention Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test where Kesey’s LSD habits and anarchist tendencies were well-documented. There’s literally _so_ much you can discuss between these novels, and I _know_ you’re going to enlighten the _hell_ out of me and Alex.”

Alex’s eyebrows lifted, and a smile crept up on his face. “Reyt, Maura and I look forward to reading some insanely well-written essays over the long weekend.”

Maura blushed; she’d called him Alex in front of the entire class. After nearly an entire semester of being so careful.

“Can we call yous Maura and Alex now then?” One of the cheekier students in the front raised their hand and asked. “Since it’s nearly the end of the year and all.”

“Definitely not.” Alex laughed, “Maura was joost testin’ yeh to see if you were payin’ attention.”

 _Nice save, Turner._ Maura exhaled, “Exactly. We’ll find out for sure how well when we get your papers back.”

Alex slyly winked at her, “Don’t forget… Friday’s assignment determines whether or not yer goin’ on the field trip… so—”

“Weh’ve gotta knock yer socks off Professor?”

Alex’s boots shuffled against the wood floor of the classroom as he took a stance, his rolled up sleeve exposing the Yorkshire rose on his forearm as he pointed at Maura on the opposite side of the desk. “No, yeh’ve gotta knock Professor Vaughn’s off, mate. This assignment is all hers, babeh. Write it well, but more importantly, get yer facts reyt. She’s gonna be goin’ through ‘em wiv a fine tooth comb.”

“Right. Speaking of which, can I borrow yours?” Maura looked at Alex expectantly, eyebrows raised as the class laughed, gathering up their things and filtering out.

As soon as the room was empty and it was just them left; Maura slid her arms around his waist and procured the comb from his back pocket. “Ah ha!” She murmured, as he grinned down at her, kissing her forehead.

“Thanks for saving me back there.”

“You are very welcome, love. Don’t get stressed about it. Easy slip-up.”

“I know. Almost made it the entire semester, though!”

Alex’s heart was racing from excitement and the fact that he was so proud of her and what they were doing, and it was so full of love for his girl that he could barely contain himself.

“Do y’ave any idea how mooch it turns me on when yeh get all passionate like tha?” He murmured, breathing in the sweet, warm smell of her.

Giggling, she smacked his ass, “Yeah? You like it when I get all nerdy like that?”

“Ooh, don’t smack meh like tha in me classroom… yeh know how tha turns meh on…”

They heard someone clear their throat, and they immediately jumped apart. “Oh,” Alex exhaled a sigh of relief, “It’s only you, ‘eadmaster. I mean… well…”

“Wot? I didn’t see anything…” He shrugged his shoulders, a true ally for his favorite couple. “Although, if I’m not interrupting anything important, I do need to borrow Ms. Vaughn for a moment.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s time to start saying goodbye to these characters I began writing in 2015. This is the second to last chapter. You might need tissues. I also bent the rules of airport protocol for the sake of good story-telling, so just pretend it’s fine. And if you like to listen to something while you read, might I suggest “Distant Lover” by Marvin Gaye? On vinyl if you’ve got it xx

// May 26th //

“I don’t want teh let yeh go.”

Maura swallowed the thick lump in her throat, sobbing in the worst way, her head on Alex’s shoulder, his arms holding her so tight. Behind them the city was now a gorgeous pink and amber sunset; but inside Heathrow Airport beside the rows of black plastic chairs with her bags at her feet in terminal three; it still felt like thunderstorms.

“I don’t want you to,” She wept, clutching his leather jacket so hard her knuckles were completely white. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“This is the final boarding call for passenger Maura Vaughn booked on flight 372A to Boston. Please proceed to gate 23 immediately. The final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes time. I repeat. This is the final boarding call for Maura Vaughn. Thank you.”

Maura looked up at Alex, both of their eyes swollen and red. “I have to go.” She whispered to him through her tear-stained lips.

This was the beginning of the end.

//

// Three Week Prior //

Maura whistled when Alex pulled up to school that morning on his bike. He couldn’t hide the smirk when he pulled his helmet off, smoothing back his hair.

“Hey good lookin’,” She shielded her eyes from the sun and sauntered up to him. “You look awfully handsome today, Mr. Turner. What’s the occasion?”

She smiled when his hand slid around her waist to the small of her back, “You.”

“Me!?” Maura exclaimed, fixing his collar beneath his leather jacket, smoothing her hand down his chest, her fingers coasting over the buttons of his white shirt. “And why’s that?”

“Yer the only one who appreciates a look this good.”

She laughed and he kissed her cheek, “Oh, I can assure you that I am not the only one. The minute you walk into that school, watch those heads turn.” Alex shrugged it off, grabbing his bag and his helmet. “In fact, I’m worried about what’s gonna happen when I leave. Who’s gonna fight the girls off? Back! Back you animals!”

The gravel crunched beneath their feet as they headed inside, “Let ‘em try. If they don’t alreadeh know, they’ll quickly find out I’ve only got eyes for one cute lil’ mod in a mini-skirt.”

Maura giggled when he made her turn around and show off the bright red skirt with white trim and buttons that she’d been waiting all winter to wear. 

“Mmm, that skirt truly is summat else, love.”

“It’s so boss,” She chirped excitedly, a little skip in her step. “Goes perfectly with these heels, too!”

Alex shook his head, chuckling. “I’ll tell yeh wot, fings are gonna beh a lot less colorful ‘round here wivout the daily fashion show.”

“Wanna keep a couple of my skirts here?” She teased, slipping in the door when he held it open for her. “You’ve got the legs to pull them off… mmm… but too much ass I’m afraid…” She chewed her lip, checking his outfit out for real now. Reddish loafers, a short-sleeve white button down with his leather jacket and grey trousers that fit him so well she felt like dropping to her knees. “This is cruel and unusual punishment. How am I supposed to teach alongside you today?”

“Yer makin’ meh blush, Miss Vaughn.”

She grabbed his arm, reaching up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, “You’re making _me_ all hot and bothered.”

Alex peered at her through his glasses, “ _Wot_ ‘as gotten into yeh today?”

She shrugged happily, “Spring fever? I don’t know…”

But the truth was, Maura had a meeting with the headmaster that afternoon to discuss the fate of her future. She had a really good feeling about it; more confident than when they’d discussed their idea for a joint class. She was petitioning for her course to be offered past the one year she was promised. She had collected the statistics of how productive and well-received her class had been, and she was ready with an armful of it all to present.

She’s been having these little meetings on the sly with the headmaster because she was finally realizing how important it was to take the reins in her own life. She loved her job and her life here and she wanted so badly to make it permanent that she’d go to whatever lengths it took. And it wasn’t that she wanted to keep Alex out of the loop; it was more like… she needed to do this for herself. For her own peace of mind; to prove to herself that she _was_ in fact worthy of the kind of happiness she’d always dreamed about. 

Alex dropped his things off and walked Maura to her classroom. They were early yet, leaving them a couple minutes to talk before the students flooded the halls. Looking back, these moments alone with her in the mornings would be some of his fondest memories. He first fell in love with her within these walls, and they’d discovered the mutual passion they had for not only teaching, but what it meant to enrich the minds of themselves and others. It was what made them such an amazing team in so many ways.

“Fuck. I’ve joost realized I forgot me notes for our lecture today…”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got your copy.” Maura hummed, rifling through her bag. “Thought it would be better to keep them together… also you’re forgetful when I stay over.” Her eyebrows arched, a playful smirk on her lips when she handed them over. 

He put his hand over hers and pulled her close to him, “Where would I beh wivout yeh, love?”

“Note-less.” She grinned, letting him pull her into a kiss. 

“Cheeky…” he kissed her softly, “… missed yeh at mine last night…”

“Missed you, too. But I did get a lot done without any distractions, and I needed that.” 

“‘ow mooch is packed up?”

“Nearly all of it. Well. All my winter clothes and some of the things I bought while I was here; little memories and keepsakes.” She chewed her lip, thinking about everything that was so special to her within those flimsy cardboard boxes. “I really hope they don’t get lost on the way back to the states. I’d be devastated.”

Alex mirrored her frown, “They won’t, love. Might take a little longer than usual to arrive, but they’ll get there in one piece.”

“Also, lucky for you… I’ll probably be staying at yours for the most part now; my flat just feels depressing now.”

Alex wrapped his arms around her,squeezing her nice and tight. “Good. I get teh love on yeh as mooch as I possibly can the next three weeks.”

//

“Ms. Vaughn, what yeh’ve compiled ‘ere is quite impressive…” 

“Thank you, headmaster.”

“When are yeh gonna start callin’ meh Jack?”

“When you start calling me Maura.” She smiled sweetly, and Jack could sense the cheekiness that Alex possessed had rubbed off on her. 

“Fair. Alright, _Maura_ , I’ve got teh take this up with the board. I’ve done as much as I possibly can at my level, because, lord knows I’d love teh keep yeh ‘ere forever, everyone loves yeh. The Staff, students, Turner and meself included.”

Maura blushed but not with embarrassment; with pride for how she’d established herself at the school despite being a complete outsider, literally, at the start of the school year. 

“Yeh’ve done amazing work ‘ere, and yeh should be proud of tha. And I noticed yeh didn’t include any of the statistics from yer class with Turner?”

“No sir, I… thought it would be best to focus on my skills apart from him.”

“While I respect and understand the thought process you ‘ad there; I’d love teh have those as well for the board. Aside from yer history class; I’ve never ‘eard so much buzz about a joint course in my entire career. Yeh’d beh doin’ yerself a disservice if yeh didn’t mention what yeh’ve done there.”

Maura was beaming, “Do you really think so?”

“Absolutely.” He was flabbergasted that she didn’t see how incredibly powerful that information would be to her case. “Maura, it’s about time yeh start feelin’ confident in yourself as a professor. I haven’t known yeh even a full year yet; but that confidence is long overdue. And you’ve got the foundation to back it up. Any school system would be proud to have you on their staff, and that’s exactly what I’m going to tell the board.”

//

“Wow I’m sure gonna miss those two…” Alex chuckled, when Maura’s voyeuristic neighbors popped up for their usual nightly shenanigans. 

“Ya know… we never did rival them properly.” Maura mused, stacking another mug on the drying rack. They were cleaning up most of her flat before taking the remainder of her things back to Alex’s. And while she was fairly certain she hardly used most of the dishes in there in the first place; she still wanted them all cleaned thoroughly before she said her goodbyes to the little place she called home for nearly nine months.

“Mmm… well… maybeh weh should give it one last shot before yeh go… a nice lil’ send off to the penthouse.”

“We should. We’re gonna crush ‘em.”

“Don’t I know it…” he smirked, drying off another dish to stack back in the cabinet. “Get a bottle or three of wine… some ice cream… a proper send off.”

“You and your ice cream…” she teased him, trying not to think about how natural and domestic their relationship had become in such a short time. The little things like this would be what she held on to in the weeks that followed her departure from England. 

“Wot? I love it. M’not ashamed of me sweet tooth any longer.” 

Maura giggled at her boyfriend, leaning her head on his shoulder for a moment before kissing it and getting back to washing. “Oh! We should totally say goodbye to that clawfoot tub as well.” She sighed, “Would you be offended if I said I was going to miss it more than you?”

Alex made a face, “Wot’s that tub got that I don’t? And don’t you dare say the ability to get yeh wet.”

Maura burst into laughter, her sides stitching the more Alex cracked jokes. She loved him. She loved him with her whole heart and she wondered for a minute if life would ever be as good as it was right then. 

“I love you both for different reasons,” she assured him.

“Thas still… one of me favorite pictures of yeh, love…”

“Which one?”

“Of yeh in the tub. That night after the library.” He saw the color bloom in her freckled cheeks, her hair in a little bun on top of her head just like the photo. “I were done for after that.”

“Doesn’t it seem like forever ago but also like it was yesterday?”

Alex tossed the dish towel and leaned back on the counter, pulling her back into a hug. He found himself physically hanging on to her longer and longer as their time together got shorter. “Yeah. Time isn’t real.”

Maura held his wrists, pressing back into him, resting her head on his chest. “Time is dumb.”

Her phone started going off on the little island and she reached forward to grab it while still remaining in Alex’s arms. 

“Oh, it’s Ging!” Alex exclaimed, smiling into Maura’s hair, breathing her in. “Yeh better answer that fing.”

Maura rolled her eyes, opening up the facetime call. “Hi mom…”

“Love bunny! _Alix_!!” Ginger cried, seeing Alex’s face behind her in the screen.

“Swear you facetime me just to see him.”

“And so what if I do?” Ginger laughed, and Maura’s heart felt heavy, forgetting how much she missed that sound. 

“‘ello, Ginger,” Alex smiled at Maura’s mother, hoping one day he got to meet her in person. She was oddly obsessed with him, and it cracked him up.

“God, you two look so adorable together, ugh!” She cried, “I’m not interrupting anything… am I?”

“Mmm… no mom. Alex and I were just cleaning up my flat. I boxed up most of my stuff. Gonna ship it out tomorrow. So it might arrive before I get there.” Maura explained, as Alex let her go so she could have a proper conversation with her mom. 

“I can’t believe you’re coming back already, bunny… it feels like you just got there. Your dad and I miss you so much but… we love that you’re there.”

Alex continued putting the dishes away, cleaning up around her. He didn’t have to see Ginger’s face to know that she was as devastated as the two of them were about Maura leaving. 

“I love it here, too, mom. Trust me… if I had it my way, I’d just be coming home for a visit when school let out. Not permanently. “

“Well, nothing’s permanent, Maura. It’s just a little hiccup on the journey,” Ginger was uncharacteristically soft on this phone call. “You can’t give up. If you want something bad enough, it will happen.”

The call cut out for a moment, the screen freezing several times before she had her back. “God this connection is fucking terrible right now,” Maura growled, trying to figure out if it was her or her mom. 

“I think it’s me, love… you know how this old farm is.” Ginger explained, coming back into frame, the studio in the backyard. “ Everyone is coming back for the wedding. Bea is coming home early. Next week. She’s going to stay in the spare bedroom so that you can have the loft. We’ve been fixing it up for you. Your dad’s up there now painting.”

“Oh man… actually painting or painting a mural?”

“Knowing him… a little of both,” The two of them laughed and Alex smiled to himself as he wiped down the counter. He loved when Maura talked with her family. They were so tight and he missed out on that camaraderie with the siblings he didn’t have. “He’s playing music up there of course… ‘putting out good vibes in the space’, he called it.”

Alex chuckled and Maura glanced up at Alex, grinning at him.

“Where’s Alix? Don’t hide! Tell me how you are!”

Maura handed him the phone and let him chat with Ginger, leaning her head on his shoulder. She could do this. If she had to. If she could chat with her parents regularly, she could do it with Alex, right? And he could come visit her… maybe even over the summer before school started. She could show him around Portsmouth, take him to that library restaurant; he’d love that. He could meet some of her friends at the breweries… she could show him her old school. Meet her parents. Maybe her siblings… 

This could work. People had long-distance relationships all the time, didn’t they? This kind of scenario wasn’t anything new. They could totally do this.

“Yer mum cut out, love… fink she’s gone for good this time…” Alex drawled, shaking her phone as if it would help. 

“Fuck. I wanted to say goodbye to her…” Maura sent her mom a quick message, and told her they’d try again in the morning hopefully. “I know we said we were gonna head to yours tonight, but… maybe we can stay here? I’m too tired to drive across town now.”

Alex nodded, “‘course, love… do I still ‘ave some fings ‘ere to wear?”

Maura racked her brain, “I think so… actually yeah… I’ve got some of your shirts in my stuff…” 

“Me lil’ magpie,” he sniggered, “swiping all me fings.”

“That’s me!” She chirped, rifling through her bag. “Some jumpers… a pair of trousers… I can throw them in the wash so you have them for tomorrow?”

When she turned around, Alex was staring at her; a dreamy look in his coffee-colored eyes. “Yer perfect, yeh know tha?”

“Perfect is a very strong word, but yes I am.” She laughed when he snatched her up, lifting her into his arms, her legs winding instinctively around his waist. 

“I wanna make love to yeh, Maura” Alex murmured, “‘cause I love yeh.”

“Ya know for an English professor, you certainly have a way with words…”

“‘ey now…” he smiled, his entire face lighting up, “give us a kiss, love.”

//

//Two Weeks Prior //

“It’s a shame our class won’t be taught next semester.” Maura mused, talking around her mouth full of apple while she leaned against the brick wall of the school; their usual hangout.

“I know it. Even if there were another history teacher interested… I wouldn’t do it.” Alex put his cigarette to his lips, staring out past the treeline to the city. “Joost. Wouldn’t beh the same.”

She nodded in agreement, chewing thoughtfully. “Same. I mean. If I were in your place.” 

The day already felt like it’d lasted seven days; and it wasn’t even noon yet. The end of the school year always had that weird feeling to it; the excitement of summer just around the corner but also the stress of finishing up classes and passing in exams or taking tests. Alex and Maura were doing their best to keep everyone focused and excited; encouraging everyone to have fun with their final essays. But even then, Maura would be back in the states when they were meant to grade them, and that just felt so final. Not to mention nearly everyone they knew kept bringing up having a long distance relationship; and while they’d talked about it, they both understood the magnitude of what that meant for them. 

“I don’t wanna move back home with my parents.” Maura blurted suddenly. “I don’t want to live above their art studio. I don’t want to find another school and go back to teaching regular history without a focus. I don’t want to go back. There’s nothing for me back in New Hampshire.” She took one last bite and chucked her apple into the grass with an insane amount of force. She stood there a moment, frowning. “This is bullshit. I don’t want things to end like this.”

Alex figured she was going through something like the five stages of grief. This was anger. And to be honest, he was just as angry. 

“M’frustrated because yeh’d fink that afer all weh’ve been through… they could figure summat out teh keep y‘ere. Wot’s the fookin’ point of hirin’ teachers from abroad if they ‘ave no intention of keepin’ ‘em?” 

“I _know_.” She pulled her cardigan closed when a gust of wind sent it sailing. “Besides. The Visa is a whole other fucking story. I know you already know this, considering we’ve talked it to death, but. It just. Feels better to get angry about it.”

“I know, love.” 

They stood in silence, going over in their heads different scenarios… ideas they might have overlooked. But they’d been through it all already. Dozens of times. Aside from the teaching Visa; if she didn’t have a place to work, it didn’t really matter. 

“Do you think we’re doing all that we can? Have we tried hard enough, Alex?” She looked at him, the little wrinkles in his forehead and the furrow of his brow as he took another pull of his cigarette. It hadn’t even been that long since the first time they stood in this spot over apples and smokes. Time truly was cruel.

“Dunno. I fink weh ‘ave. Some of the options are joost so out of our ‘ands… wouldn’t realeh matter ‘ow ‘ard we pushed.” 

Maura studied the way he held the cigarette, between the tips of his fingers, the way his sleeves were rolled up his forearms; the bit of his tattoo peaking out. She loved him so much. There would never be anyone perfectly right for her like him. And maybe if she focused on how much they were meant to be together, everything would fall nicely into place. They could keep their dream jobs and still have one another.

“I’ve been lookin’ for jobs in the states-” Alex began and Maura cut him off.

“But why would you do that? Your job here _is_ the dream, Alex. You’ve got the nicest set-up here, and it’s where you grew up, and everyone you know and love is here. There _are_ no jobs in the US that could ever compare to how sweet it is here. That’s why I took it!” She exclaimed, realizing something very important. “I would never forgive myself if you gave up everything you loved just to be closer to me. Your happiness means so much more than having you physically in my life every day.”

Alex looked down at his girlfriend; all five-feet-four-inches of her. She was so far from the woman he’d first met back in August; so much more open and so much more confident. Fire blazed within her, or at least the ember that was in her was sparked and fully lit now. Nothing would hold her back anymore; she’d get everything she ever wanted in life. He knew this. Whether that included him or not. Either way; he was so proud of her and all the growing she’d done here on her own.

“Don’t yeh get it, love?” He asked her, his hands cupping her face tenderly. “Yer ‘appiness if everyfing to _me_. Together. Apart. This continent or the other. Doesn’t matter, as long as yer ‘appy.” 

“Wow, I hate that word ‘apart’,” She lamented softly, still gazing up into Alex’s big brown eyes. “But whatever makes us happy and makes sense… that’s what we’ll do. Maybe we’re not meant to be together right now.”

“And this is all joost a test teh see ‘ow weh survive it.”

“Feel like I might fail miserably.”

Alex shook his head, “Yeh won’t, love. This is all joost a tiny lil’ speedbump. Fings are gonna work out joost fine.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and tucked her into his side for a hug. “Trust meh.”

“Okay, but how do you _know_?”

“Fings always get worse before they get betteh.”

//

“The board says they ‘ave a lot teh consider for the upcoming semester. There’s no definitive answer at the moment.”

Things had gotten worse.

Maura felt her heart sink way down into the depths of her stomach where it felt heavy and leaden with defeat. All the bits of hope that she’d held onto felt like they’d just sailed out the window.

“The color’s joost drained out of yer face, Maura.” Jack observed, as upset as she was about the new information. “I’m enraged teh beh quite honest. There’s absolutely no reason why they couldn’t keep yeh on the staff, considering they’d ‘ave teh eventually replace yeh wiv someone else, and why do that when yer more than qualified _and_ willing teh uproot yer life teh live ‘ere permanently.”

“Jack, this _is_ my life now. This is all I ever wanted.”

“Maura, I know. Believe meh.” He sighed heavily, throwing his hands in the air and then clasping them together. “I’m at a loss reyt now. But I’m not going teh give up on yeh. The impact that yeh’ve made on this school, and all the evidence that yeh’d continue to do great fings for it. It’s realeh joost overwhelming. And I’m not gonna stop fighting.”

The headmaster’s positivity provided a beam of hopefulness in an otherwise dismal situation. He really was her last resort, and the fact that he was willing to try so hard to help her keep her position, was overwhelming. 

“What more could I ask for, Professor?” She smiled softly, “I appreciate everything you’ve done and all that you’ll continue to do to keep me here.”

He smiled fondly at her, “Maura, don’t get discouraged. Weh’ll figure this out.”

“I really hope so.” She spotted the dish of sweets on his desk, thinking of Alex. “I know I keep saying it, but please don’t tell Alex about this.”

He crossed his heart, “May I ask why, Ms. Vaughn?”

“It’s just something I have to do for myself.”

That night, Maura couldn’t sleep. Her eyes were wide open and her mind was noisy as fuck. This hadn’t happened in so long, it was clear that her negative thoughts were struggling to get to the surface and rear their ugly faces. And there was no reason for her to be awake like this when Alex’s bed was so comfortable, his soft, easy breathing beside her so sweet. She did her best not to wake him as she readjusted her position _again_ , curling up on her side with her hands tucked beneath her head to watch him. 

She couldn’t quite see the slope of his nose, what with his face smushed into the pillow and all, but she could see his long eyelashes on his cheeks, the little furrow on his brow. He was probably thinking deep thoughts, even while asleep. Behind them on the shelf his reading glasses sat on his book, and she remembered all those fantasies she’d had of him before they started dating; picturing him in bed reading. She hadn’t crushed on anyone as hard as she’d done with him, not even when she was a teen. He was so good to her all the time, and he was thoughtful and loving and so, _so_ romantic… it made her feel guilty thinking about their future.

Would it be fair to stay with him long distance? Didn’t she owe it to him and his happiness to set him free? Why keep him tied down to someone that he couldn’t physically be with? The thought had gnawed at her for months now, and she’d kept swallowing it back down, hoping that maybe if she’d ignored it, it would go away, or magically work itself out. But that’s not how these things go. And now here she was; her very last ditch effort had fallen through. 

Alex’s breath quickened for a moment and Maura held hers, wondering if he was having a bad dream. They hadn’t yet talked about what they should do about their relationship; it was just _assumed_ that it’d continue long-distance. They loved each other… so why not? But being in love with someone so far away wasn’t like FaceTiming with a family member, or sending letters or lengthy phone calls. The physical part was as important as the emotional aspect; and it wasn’t fair to either of them to plan on visiting each other every few months. It wasn’t normal or healthy or- 

Alex blinked his eyes open slowly, peering right at Maura.

“Miss Vaughn… I do believe it’s past yer bedtime…” He muttered, his lips curving into a tiny smile.

Maura felt her stomach flip, her entire body warming with the way he looked at her, even now with sleep-laden eyes. “I’m afraid I’m having trouble sleeping, Mr. Turner.”

He frowned ever-so-slightly, lifting his head off the pillow, “Wot’s wrong, love?” He shifted so he was facing her now. “Bad dream?”

“Bad thoughts.”

“Hmm…” He licked his lips and inched closer, “… c’mere. Is there anyfing I can do teh ‘elp?”

Maura sighed heavily, choking back a thick sob and pressed her nose to his, whispering, “You can just hold me.” 

“I can totalleh do tha,” He hummed, his arms winding around her and hugging her close. She nestled into him, her feet rubbing against his. “Nowt a good ol’ fashioned hug can’t fix.”

In a surprisingly romantic turn of events, Alex told her stories until she finally drifted off to sleep, her previous worries long forgotten.

//

There was no doubt however, that things were different after that meeting with the headmaster. Alex at the time didn’t know why Maura had suddenly taken a turn for the worst, but he chalked it up to the idea that everything was starting to become more real. Their timeline was getting shorter and shorter. He didn’t want to use the word ‘final’, but it was all he could think of.

Maura was distant during class the next day. It might’ve been the sleepless night she’d had, he couldn’t be sure, but she was usually so composed; so well put together and organized, but today the words and the energy failed her. It wasn’t even about leaving Alex anymore. As she looked at the engaged faces of her students, listening to Alex rattle on about their final class book; she realized she was going to miss all of them, too. She was going to miss this classroom and the life she’d built here; the little community of teachers and students. Her little family that had welcomed her in so effortlessly. 

She caught Alex shooting her a glance and she cleared her throat asking him to repeat the question. 

“Didn’t ask yeh anyfing, darlin’… joost talkin’ about our class tomorrow.” Alex’s eyes were soft and sympathetic, and he almost reached for her across the desk. 

Maura’s face burned with embarrassment, her ears as red as her cheeks. There was nothing she could do, nowhere she could go. But Alex saved her.

“Yeh’ll ‘ave teh forgive Miss Vaughn…” He told the class whose ears had definitely perked up on the term of endearment and the way he spoke to her. It only added to the mythical rumor that was their relationship, but Alex’s next move put the rumors to rest. He scooted over on the desk and took her hand, lacing their fingers together. “She’s headin’ back to the states in a few days… and neither of us want ‘er teh go.”

Maura looked at him, her eyes full of tears, threatening to spill down her sweet little cheeks. She squeezed his hand, one tear followed my several more. 

“‘ey now…” He whispered and wiped one away. She furiously held back and wiped at her face, laughing nervously. 

“Cat’s out of the bag.” She murmured and one of the girls in front spoke up. 

“It’s been out of the bag for a long time, Ms. Vaughn.” She laughed and an excited chatter rolled through the class. “Weh were all joost waitin’ for a real confirmation.”

“Were that good enough for yeh?” Alex teased them, jumping down off the desk. “Class dismissed, yeh bunch of monkeys… get out of ‘ere and enjoy the gorgeous day.”

Maura blew her nose into one of those scratchy, cheap tissues when a few of the girls approached them at the desk before leaving. “Weh’re sorreh yer leavin’, Ms. Vaughn.”

“Yeah… wish yeh could stay.”

“Yeh both make the cutest couple…” one of the shyer girls gushed, “… gonna tell me boyfriend teh step it up.”

Alex grinned, rubbing Maura’s shoulder, hoping she knew he didn’t mean to out their relationship. With only a few days left of school, what was the use? 

When the last students had cleared out, she hugged him, burying her face in his neck. “I’m sorry… I have a lot on my mind.”

“‘Ey… yeh don’t ‘ave teh apologize teh me. Not ever.” He smoothed her hair, let her stay against him as long as she wanted. He didn’t have another class for two more hours anyways. “Weh knew this were gonna be ‘ard…”

“Everybody knows.”

“Who cares, love? They’ve all known for awhile now. It were joost more fun to sneak around, weren’t it?” 

He could feel her warm breath on him, evening out from all the crying. “Yes.”

“Weh’ve got some time… wanna go outside and get some air? Sit on me bike and dream about where weh’ll go tonight when school’s out?”

Maura lifted her head, nose red, eyes glossy but bright. “Why are you so good to me?”

“Because I’ve never loved anyone the way I love yeh.” She kissed the tip of his nose, tugging on the front of his shirt. “And I know I don’t show it like yeh do… but I’m a fookin’ wreck.” 

“Someone around here has to keep it together.”

//

Alex had decided that it was only fair that Maura did the driving that night. He knew what the power of controlling the bike did for her, and he knew there wouldn’t be many more rides like this one. So he climbed on behind her, held onto her waist beneath her jacket, and let her take off to the country. It couldn’t have been a more perfect evening; the sky changing colors on the horizon, the cool breeze on their faces as they got further and further into the city. She drove with purpose and a determination that confirmed she was over the embarrassment of the day. He knew there was something else bothering her; something that had flipped a switch inside her. It’d started the night before, when he’d woken up to her wide awake in bed. She’d slept in that morning as well, which wasn’t like her in any way. Her optimism was waning, and he feared the worst.

Maura cut the engine and whipped off her helmet, stalking off into the grass beneath the tree that they’d once kissed under. She had been timid and shy then, but so much had changed. Being with him had brought something out of her she’d never had the confidence to find back home. Alex assumed that the way she behaved now was another level of grief; retracing the best moments of their relationship, not to recreate them but to remember them always.

Her back was too him; her frame looking smaller than usual in that oversized jumper of his. He wondered then, how many things of his would disappear when she left him, how much she’d pilfer and squirrel away in her luggage. All of her favorite things. The thought made him smile as much as it made him sick. It was just like him, wasn’t it? To fall so deeply in love with a woman who had to leave him. She curled up in the grass, tucking her knees up under her chin, making herself as small as possible. 

Alex sat beside her in silence, picking at the wildflowers that surrounded them like strokes of acrylic paint. Every inch of his body was filled with dread for what was to come, but she looked so beautiful and she was so lovely, he tried his hardest not to let her see him lose hope. 

“What are you doing?”

“Puttin’ wildflowers in yer ‘air,” Alex murmured, admiring the pouty pink of her lips and the peach glow of her cheeks. It was warmer now that it was May, and the heat had made her curls springy. He tucked one just above her ear, holding the back of her neck where it was a bit damp and sticky, brushing a soft kiss to her lips.

She grinned at him, her eyes like melted caramel in the sun. “And how come?”

“Because yeh need ‘em.”

“Hmm… well if I need them, then so do you.” She picked a tiny purple flower and stuck it in his hair behind his ear, too.

“ow’s it look?” 

“Purple’s your color.” She grabbed the front of his shirt, brushing her nose against his, “Are you trying to distract me, Mr. Turner? From all the terrible thoughts in my head?”

He nodded, and she giggled at the way his nose nuzzled against hers. “Yeh remember when weh first kissed?” He pecked at her, “the way yeh grabbed me shirt,” Maura gripped his t-shirt a little harder, still giggling, “how our teeth knocked together when we smiled, so ‘appy teh finally kiss each other…”

_I do remember. I remember every single moment of that day._

“You _are_ trying to distract me,” Maura hummed, the two of them smiling into the kiss like that very first time.

“But is it _working_?” 

“A bit…”

Alex’s smile wavered, and he took her hand, squeezing it before he entwined his fingers with hers. 

“I was hoping you’d do that,” She smiled, pushing him gently back into the grass and lying down beside him. She lifted his arm and tucked her head in the crook there, still holding his hand. The clouds were moving too fast overhead, and she wished they’d slow down. She wished _everything_ would slow down. Alex smelled like mint and cloves and coffee and his t-shirt was so unbelievably soft that it brought tears to her eyes. “I’m sad, Alex.”

“I know y’are love.”

“I don’t want to feel like this. I don’t want to say goodbye to you.”

What he wanted to do was press rewind, to go back to the beginning. Go back to October and live every single day over again and just… savor them a little more. “Weh did a very dumb thing tha knows. Weh ignored our feelings about yeh leavin’ until the moment weh ‘ad teh face ‘em and now ‘ere weh are and weh don’t know wot teh do.”

“We’re so stupid. Why did we do that?” Maura asked him, closing her eyes and burying her face in his side. 

“I fink because… weh’re madly in love wiv one another and… and this fookin’ sucks a whole lot.”

Maura was crying again, but now she was laughing. She was laughing and she was crying and she felt like the cliché she never wanted to become. The shy, wide-eyed American girl who falls in love with a guy overseas and doesn’t want to leave and considers a long-distance relationship that probably, most likely wouldn’t work out… _You’re a fucking idiot, Maura._

“Alex?” She began, a monologue of thoughts ready to pour from her lips. 

“Yes, my love?”

Maura could see the tears in his eyes, realizing that he wasn’t doing much better than she was. The wind picked up, blowing the flowers from her hair and into the sky and the two of them laughed, and instead of ruining the moment in the place they loved so much… she just pressed her lips to his instead. 

Alex was making them tea after they showered and Maura stood watching him in the kitchen, quiet as a mouse. She admired the way the muscles in his back moved, and how he always put his hand on his hip, Christ, even the way he stirred his spoon. Those little details were only a small fraction of the list of things she was going to miss about him when she was gone. 

“You know what we have to do, right?” She finally spoke up, her voice soft. She could see his ears perk up, tension tightening his neck and his shoulders. 

“Yeah, love. I know.”

She timidly crossed the room to him and hugged him from behind, pressing her face, now wet with tears into his back between his shoulder blades. 

Alex put his hand over hers, closing his eyes. “I don’t want to do it joost yet, alreyt?” he choked, feeling the hot tears slip down his cheeks. 

“Alex…”

“M’not ready yet.” 

“We’re never going to be ready, Alex… it’s never going to feel like the righ-”

“Maura,” He cut her off, the pain in his voice making her ache in a way she’d never felt before. “Let’s joost… wait a little bit longer…”

It wasn’t that the rest of the evening was ruined, but it had a somberness to it that was so palpable it was difficult to ignore. The thing you’re not supposed to talk about is naturally all you can think about; that was always how it went. What they did was do their best to pretend that everything was fine, and attempted to go about doing the things they normally did on Thursday evenings. Date night tomorrow was already planned, and Saturday was a last hurrah at the pub with the guys, and Sunday was supper at Alex’s folks’ in High Green. Maura sipped her tea lost in thought while Alex shuffled through records to keep his mind on anything but breaking up; finally choosing Marvin Gaye’s 1973 album, Let’s Get It On, and setting the needle down on track six, Distant Lover. He’d always loved the song, and it felt like a funny choice now, but he was positive they’d definitely danced to it before.

Maura glanced up at him when he held his hand out to her, biting her lip, tears slipping down her cheeks. “This song?” She giggled, sniffing as she put her hands in his.

Alex shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, “C’mon, love…” She was still holding her tea cup and Alex laughed, “Gimme this…” He set it down on the coffee table, and spun her around, her back to his front, his chin on her shoulder. “This is normal, reyt?”

She nodded, and turned back around, her hands sliding up his chest to his neck. They got lost in the music, swaying with one another, singing along to the words. 

“You should think about me, and say a prayer for me…” Maura whispered, nose brushing up against his.

“Think about me sometimes… think about me ‘ere… ‘ere in misery… misery, babeh…” Alex’s lips were just barely touching hers as he sang, smiling when she smiled.

“Oh sure… _now_ you sing for me…” She teased, their feet shuffling together on the worn throw rug. 

Alex chuckled, leaning his forehead against hers, Maura’s hands on the back of his neck, her fingers twisting little curls of hair. 

“When yeh left…” he sang, “yeh took all of me wiv yeh… do you wanna ‘ear me scream… come back and hold me, girl…”

“You’re lucky you sound so beautiful… putting on this song…”

“Put it on joost teh move like this wiv yeh…” Alex rested his palm to the small of her back, his fingertips resting on the curve to her bum. 

They kept dancing until the next song began, falling into hysterics at the breathy moans on the most sexual track of the album. “Forgot this one came next,” He confessed, kissing at her top lip, feeling her cheeks burn, the rush of color starting at her chest and creeping its way up.

Somehow it broke the tension, the rain clouds rolling away as they danced and reminisced, laughing and crying about their life together the last few months.

Alex smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks, kissing at the tears that fell. “No more of this, love… only the happy tears, alreyt?”

Maura nodded, knowing the tears wouldn’t stop the inevitable anyways. “I don’t wanna dance anymore,” She hummed, her hands already pulling up his jumper, his t-shirt getting stuck and coming off over his head, too. Her sweater followed immediately after, and she pressed wet kisses to his bare chest, drawing a little heart right in the middle and resting her cheek there. She listened to the way the rhythm picked up for a brief moment before Maura was tugging at his belt and lowering to her knees, tucking her fingers inside the waist and tugging both his jeans and his briefs down to his ankles. She dropped a kiss on his abdomen, and then across to his hip, taking him in her hand, stroking him softly. Alex twisted a bit of her hair around his finger, tucking it gently behind her ear. 

She looked up at him with those wide eyes, eyelashes still wet, but with pure love radiating from them. Holding him in her palm, she kissed down his length slowly with soft, swollen lips. He groaned when her mouth wrapped around the tip, sucking gently. Alex’s fingers tucked themselves in her curls, just cradling her head as her tongue flicked at the underside, swirling in achingly slow spirals, getting him wet. As good as her mouth felt, he pulled her off him before she could go any further, stepping out of his jeans and joining her on the floor. 

Maura wiped at her reddened lips, sitting back and watching him as he rolled the waist of her tights all the way down her legs. He dropped a kiss to her ankle, the inside of her knee, and on the soft skin just above the thatch of hair between her legs. Her stomach clenched and he dipped two of his fingers between her wet folds, spreading her open for him. When he pushed inside her, stretching her open, her mouth fell open in a silent scream, throwing her head back and winding her limbs around him, clinging on to him for dear life. 

With his eyes squeezed shut tight, all he could hear was her breathy moans against his shoulder, and his panting that punctuated each thrust. She came with a soft cry when he filled her up, holding him down on her until he was finished, kissing every inch of his sweet, handsome face.

“I will love you forever,” Maura’s honeyed words fell from her lips to his ear, and Alex knew that nobody would ever love her the way he did. 

//

It was only fitting that it was raining on Maura’s last day in England. They’d set the alarm for nine, but neither of them had really slept. The thing was, when you decide to break up with the person you’re madly in love with; there’s no room for a good night’s sleep. 

Alex sat on the edge of the bed and watched her as she pulled a sweater over her head, tucking her unruly strands behind her ears. He couldn’t remember now if it was his jumper or hers, but for some reason the hole in the elbow brought tears to his eyes. 

“Are you going to finish getting ready?” She asked him softly, her lips as red and puffy as her eyes. There had been lots of crying and lots of kissing last night.

He nodded, shivering as he pulled his t-shirt off and a fresh one on. He felt Maura’s eyes on him as he messed with his socks, feeling very much like he was dressing for a party he had no desire to attend. He sat up, his hands on his thighs, the two of them just looking at each other. 

“God, I miss the color of yer cheeks alreadeh.” He confessed, exhaling a deep breath as his eyes welled up again. Maura crossed the room and fell into his arms, muffling her sobs in his shoulder.

They held hands in the car on the way to the train station, and they never let go, not once in the three hours it took to get to London. Even when they took turns dozing off, they were still touching one another in some way. Alex watched the world fly by outside the window, thinking back to how different their trip to the city had been back in December. Maura snuggled closer to him, her cheek resting on his chest and he held her tighter, wishing there were more time. 

“I don’t want teh let yeh go.”

Maura swallowed the thick lump in her throat, sobbing in the worst way, her head on Alex’s shoulder, his arms holding her so tight. Behind them the city was now a gorgeous pink and amber sunset; but inside Heathrow Airport beside the rows of black plastic chairs with her bags at her feet in terminal three; it still felt like thunderstorms.

“I don’t want you to,” She wept, clutching his leather jacket so hard her knuckles were completely white. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“This is the final boarding call for passenger Maura Vaughn booked on flight 372A to Boston. Please proceed to gate 23 immediately. The final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes time. I repeat. This is the final boarding call for Maura Vaughn. Thank you.”

Maura looked up at Alex, both of their eyes swollen and red. “I have to go.” She whispered to him through her tear-stained lips.

This was the beginning of the end.

Alex nodded, knowing that it was time to let her go. 

“Let meh know when yeh get back, yeah? As soon as yeh can.”

“I will.” She whispered, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “I love you. Be good.”

Alex pressed his lips to her cheek, and against her ear told her softly, “I love yeh more, Miss Vaughn.” 

Maura choked back another sob and pushed herself away from him, walking backwards a few feet before turning and handing the flight attendant her ticket, mumbling her apologies. She turned back one last time to wave goodbye, Alex watching her until she disappeared, the door shutting tight behind her.

And that was it.

//

// May 27th //

Maura collapsed on the bed once she’d escaped her family. She couldn’t blame their excitement, but it had been a long twenty-four hours and she was in desperate need of some space. Bea had been the one to pick her up from the airport, thank god, and then her mother bombarded her when they’d arrived home. Her dad gave her a strong hug, but didn’t say much, so it surprised her when he showed up in her doorway just then.

He knocked softly, “Sorry to bother ya, Mo… just wanted to show you a few things before you got too settled.”

Maura lifted her head, smiling at her sweet dad. It wasn’t that her mother _wasn’t_ sweet, but she was just more like him. “Okay, dad…”

He took her around the top of the barn which was now her very own studio apartment. It was actually quite lovely, the wood floor painted a bright white with throw rugs everywhere. He’d made sure the plumbing worked for her shower and sink and toilet, and he’d even replaced the glass in the old windows. She’d never seen it look so good.

“Did this for you as well,” He crowed proudly at the space he’d sectioned off and turned into a closet for her. “Though you’d like a space big enough to hold all your clothes.”

Maura’s heart was aching in a different way now, and she smiled up at her dad. “This is pretty cool, dad. You’re pretty great for doing all this. Thank you.”

He didn’t stay much longer, knowing she wanted some rest. “There’s some drinks in the fridge down in the studio if you’re thirsty. Your mother and I won’t be in there tonight so you can come and go as you please.” He winked at her and she laughed, “Also… left you a few things by the stereo…”

Maura glanced back over her shoulder where he’d set it up for her, spotting a crate of records. She turned back to thank him again, but he’d gone. She went to the window to watch him cross their yard with his hands in his pockets, the lights twinkling above him as he slipped through the back door. Her dad… he just got it.

//

The morning of Thursday the twenty-eighth of May was bright and sunny, and just outside the window beside Maura’s bed, the birds were getting all National Geographic for her. It was far too early to get up, so once she stumbled her way blindly to the bathroom, she crawled back into bed, yanking the covers over her head and snuggling down to the bottom. 

The next time she woke up, the sun was much higher in the sky and her stomach ached from more than just the sickness of leaving someone she loved behind. She was starving for food that didn’t come compartmentalized in a tiny box on a fold-down tray. Maura reached around for her phone, smiling at a ten am message from her sister.

**Bea** **🐝** **: Mom made “breakfast”. It sucked. Dad and I snuck out for bagels. Left you some by the fridge downstairs. There’s fruit too.**

**Take all the time you need. No one will bother you until you’re ready** **❤️**

There she went, taking care of her again like she always had. Maura had missed the comfort of having her sister around; they’d been far apart for too long. Bea had always been the person she’d confided in, her ally. Which is why she’d had to tell her on the way back from the airport last night.

_After the tears and the hugs and the excitement of being reunited, they collected her luggage and loaded up the car before the hour-long drive back to the farm._

_Maura was uncharacteristically quiet, especially since she hadn’t seen her sister in nearly a year. They’d both been living so far from where they grew up and there were millions of things for them to talk about but Bea went with:_

_“Mo… how’s Alex? I forgot to ask. How are you guys dealing with you having to move back?”_

_“We broke up.” Maura said simply, her voice soft and her eyes glazed over as she stared out the passenger window._

_“Wait, what?” Bea was shocked to put it mildly. The last time she’d talked with her, everything was fine, Maura was over-the-moon, head-over-heels in love and Alex was the dreamy boyfriend who was so perfect it was like they were made for each other. “Maura… why?”_

_Maura sighed heavily, “Because it wasn’t going to work and I really don’t want to talk about it.”_

_Bea gripped the steering wheel, keeping her eyes on the road, but also glancing over at her big sister who looked like she needed to sleep for about a month. She hadn’t noticed before, but there were circles beneath her eyes, and they were bloodshot._

_“Did you break it off with him, or…?”_

_Maura leaned her head back in the seat, watching the New England homes and rolling hills fly past the window. It reminded her of being on the motorbike and her heart ached with the desire for things to be normal again. She sighed heavily, swallowing back tears, “We both decided.”_

_Bea was silent, but Maura knew there’d be more questions._

_“It’s um… it’s pretty fresh, Bea. And I cried nearly the entire flight. So let’s talk about anything else but that for now.”_

Maura swallowed hard, her heart heavy. There were also several messages from Alex but she didn’t know if she could handle reading them yet. Once she’d forced herself to go downstairs for food; she’d allow herself to get swallowed up by the pain of missing him.

It was quiet on the first floor of the old barn, and it smelled like paint and epoxy and kind of like burnt metal, but that was because there was always a mix of media happening down there. Poking through the bag of bagels, she pulled out a sort of smooshed one that was covered in bubbled, crusty cheese. It should’ve been toasted, but she didn’t care. She slathered cream cheese all over it and grabbed one of the weird probiotic sodas her parents loved. She would’ve preferred coffee, but there was no way she was going inside the main house for that. 

It was surreal standing here like this in front of the fridge in her parents’ studio in rural New Hampshire. In Sheffield, she would’ve already taught her second class of the day by now, getting ready to meet Alex and head to lunch. They would’ve had sandwiches and crisps, and a sliced orange; playfully arguing over who’d get the last piece until Alex conceded and let her have it every single time. He would’ve elbowed her, and she would’ve rested her head on his shoulder and they would’ve laughed and talked about the upcoming assignment in their class… She took the container of orange slices and shut the fridge. 

Maura perched on a stool in front of her parents’ latest sculpture, balancing her breakfast on her knees. She studied the bizarre-looking piece trying to figure out what elements they’d each contributed. It was a game she always played with herself. They were so good at working together after all these years, that she could never tell who did what; their opposite styles complementing one another so beautifully that most people assumed it was the work of just one artist. 

Her parents really did make a great couple. 

She suddenly felt a pang of guilt for complaining about having to move back home while she focused on re-working her career. Her parents had never criticised her for any of the career moves she’d made; they’d always encouraged her and her siblings to follow their hearts… and they welcomed all of them back home with open arms whenever they needed it. And they’d remodeled their studio for her to live in! Granted it was something they should’ve done ages ago with four grown-up children scattered across the globe… but the fact that they did it for her now, with such little notice… 

Maura was crying in her strawberry vanilla-flavored probiotic soda. It felt like that night back in Sheffield with a bottle of wine and some ice cream and a tub. And then she remembered - Alex!

She abandoned her pathetic excuse for a breakfast and bolted back up the stairs, flinging herself across the bed to grab her phone. There were several more messages than there had been before.

**Alex: Maura, did you land safely yet?**

**Alex: Maybe it’s too late there for you to respond… your phone is probably still on airplane.**

**Alex: Hopefully you’re sleeping in. The flight were probably exhausting.**

**Alex: Maura… please. I know we’re not together anymore but I need to know you’re ok.**

**Alex: It’s gotta be morning by now, love. Are you alreyt? Please text me back.**

Maura’s heart plummeted into her gut as she read each message from him. 

**Maura: Alex, I’m alright! I’m so sorry I didn’t message you when my plane landed. I was kind of in a daze. I’ve been sleeping since I got back. The flight wasn’t bad. It’s just been a long couple of hours.**

She didn’t know what the protocol was now that he was there and she was here, and she almost didn’t send it but:

**Maura: I miss you.**

**Alex: I miss you more love**

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You can also [find me on Tumblr](https://hearteyesturner.tumblr.com/).


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